Hell Bound
by ezriajournal
Summary: "Run, Aria. Just keep running. Don't stop no matter how much it hurts. This is your only chance to get out of here."
1. Chapter 1

**In a way, you could call this a story version of a trailer. I won't be continuing this story until after Familiar Faces is finished. But I was so absorbed in this idea that I couldn't wait to write it. This is a very short chapter because I don't want to give so much away already. But the chapters after this, whenever they are put out, will be longer. I promise ;) Please review and tell me if you want me to continue or just comments. Each and every one is greatly appreciated.**

_"Stop struggling..." The doctor growled, shoving Aria's petite body against the hard metal board behind her. As he finished haphazardly stitching up her bleeding abdomen, the doctor left the room to get gauze wraps. Aria slid her wrist slowly out of the restraint and grabbed a scalpel that was lying next to all the rest of the torture tools. She flipped her wrist over so that the sharp tool was pressed up against her arm and the metal board as she slid her hand back in._

_As the doctor came back, he snorted as Aria whimpered in pain. "Get used to it." He wrapped the gauze tightly around her bleeding areas and unbuckled the restraints to her arms and legs._

_Aria pretended to leave as the doctor turned his back on her, beginning to write notes and observations in a folder. Aria ripped the wrap from around her mouth and readied the scalpel. Before the doctor could detect her presence, Aria tackled the man to the ground and tied his wrists together. She elbowed him into the jaw and took no hesitation as she drove the scalpel into the doctor's eyeball. The man let out a blood curdling scream and Aria could hear the loud foot steps and yelling of the other doctors. Aria took the opportunity and darted for the nearest exit. The freezing midnight air chilled her insides as Aria shoved the door open and took a deep breath of the clean air. She bolted away from the wicked building and the people inside, not once looking back._

_Run, Aria. Just keep running. Don't stop no matter how much it hurts. This is your only chance to get out of here._

Aria could feel the fresh stitches that littered her stomach coming close to popping out as she ran. She fought the strong urge to cry out in pain as the cool air burned the open wounds on her body. But she that she had to keep running. It was the only way she was to get away of that hellish asylum.

The only thing covering Aria's paper thin body as she escaped was hastily wrapped gauze around her chest and torn up, vomit dyed shorts. Her face was pale and nearly lifeless. The hospital slippers placed on her feet were no match to the rough forest ground her feet kept colliding against. She could feel twigs and other objects stabbing against the soles of her feet with each step she took. The fresh, chilling air now felt surreal to Aria. The sounds like the easy blowing of the wind and the woodland animals scurrying around, struck her as a dream. For so long, all that she knew was the feeling of isolation and the heart breaking, gut wrenching sounds of other patients tortured screams.

None of that mattered now though.. After two years in that place people call a 'rehab center', she was finally free. Even though Aria knew she was far away from Hell on Earth, she kept on going, it was the only thing she felt she could do. Frightened that someone was after her, Aria couldn't stop. No matter how much her body tried to convince her otherwise.

After what seemed to her like a few miles, Aria gave out. She collapsed next to a nearby tree and unwillingly emptied the contents of her stomach on to the forest ground. She could no longer see the tall, grey building from where she was kneeling. The building that snatched and destroyed any sense of innocence left in her. Aria knew that she was different now. The pure, but wrongly accused girl who entered that asylum died in there. The one that escaped, alienated and reserved, was born there.

When Aria gained some more strength to keep on going, she wandered through the dark, empty forest until she could spot a illuminated town in the distance. She leaned against an old looking tree and for the first time in two years, cracked a small smile. She slid her tired form to the ground, mesmerized by all the bright lights contrasting against the dark, night's sky. Something caught her eye as she watched a few cars pass through some streets near her. A big green sign that read...

_Welcome to Rosewood_


	2. Chapter 2

**For some reason, I don't know if I want to take this story in this way. I had the story planned out in my mind but then I found a story here similar to my ideas and I don't want to copy that person T.T. If you guys like the way I'm taking this story, then tell me. Otherwise, leave a review or even PM me and give me ideas cause now I'm a little stuck. But enjoy this chapter anyway!**

Her breath caught in her throat. Out of every town near the 'rehab center', she had to land in Rosewood. The memories that suffocated her started in this town. She had no idea how the people of this town would react after they saw Aria come back. Would her own parents even accept her?

Aria shakily made her way down the hill she was sitting on. The cool wind blew across her face, feeling almost heavenly. As she walked into the town she tried, unsuccessfully though, to shield her scarcely covered body with her bony arms and hands. Not that she thought anyone was out at this hour in the streets.

The hard, rough concrete made her thankful she had the now torn up hospital slippers around her feet. Walking the all too familiar streets of Rosewood was overwhelming, along with nerve wracking. A few cars passed by. Their bright headlights shining into her face like a spotlight. They slowly passed by Aria, the drivers shooting odd glances at the sickly looking teenager.

Finally, her journey through the small town ended in front of a large house. Aria's body shook with fear of what was in front of her and the cold of night. Her hazel eyes stared at the home with admiration and hints of happiness for once. She slowly and carefully padded up the wood stairs, as if they would break under her almost nonexistent weight. She stood at the old but sturdy wooden door for longer than she knew. Something inside of her was screaming at her to run away and never go back. But another half was tugging at her to knock on the door.

She brought a tight fist up and rapped her knuckles against the hard wood. Hearing the grumbling and rusting in the inside the household made her want to run, but she didn't. She stood frozen in place, as if imaginary crazy glue was holding her in place. The door swung open to reveal a tall boy. His brown hair was scattered around his head and his height nearly towered over her. He wore a look of complete shock and sadness.

"Aria?" He said, pulling her paper thin and scarred body into a hug. Aria was taken back by the sudden embrace, but was thankful for the boy's warmth.

"Mike..." She rasped into his ear, smiling as she dug her face into his heat filled neck. Mike led her inside the house and ran to grab Aria's shaking, mutilated body a blanket.

"Mom! Dad!" Mike shouted incredibly loud. "You guys gotta come down!" He wrapped his arms around his big sister and laid his head against her shoulder. "I didn't think you were ever coming back..."

"I didn't either," Aria croaked. She was startled as she saw two darkened figures descending from the stairs. They both gasped in shock as they room in the sight of their malnourished daughter.

"Aria." Ella and Byron whispered in unison as they both encased her in their arms. Aria whimpered from feeling trapped between the sea of bodies surrounding her small frame. She began to shake involuntarily as fear and panic overtook her mind.

Ella was the first to break from her embrace and guided Aria to the living room. "Aria, my baby..." She had her lay down on the soft couch as she gingerly removed the blankets and examined the bloodied stitches and scars across her thinning torso. "H-how did this happen, Aria?"

Aria stayed silent. Trying to find the words to tell her mother what those monsters had done to her over the past years.

"Let's just say that was no rehab center they dragged me to." She rasped. Ella still was highly confused but seeing the pain in her daughter's eyes, decided this wasn't the time for an interrogation.

Ella had led Aria upstairs, where she helped her strip out of her ratty clothes and run a bath. Aria cried out in pain as the water and soap hit her open wounds. The cuts seemed to sizzle with a searing, nightmarish pain. Ella, using her motherly knowledge, was able to successfully wash out the large knots in Aria's matted, unkempt hair and cleanse her body and face.

Ella had warmed up some left over pasta and oil for Aria, her appearance making it obvious she was in need of something to eat. Her hair was tied in a clean ponytail and she was wearing one of Byron's Hollis shirts and a pair of soft pajama pants. As Ella expected her to dive into the food, Aria merely stared at it before eating small portions at a time.

Seeing her daughter so broken shocked Ella. She no longer saw the brightness in Aria's eyes that she used to. Her usually excited, hazel eyes were now empty, just plain empty. She couldn't even imagine what kind of place Aria went to that broke her spirit down until it was nothing but dust.

* * *

Over the course of three weeks, Aria seemed to be getting better. At least compared to what she was like when she first came in. She was getting better at holding down her food and eating richer food as opposed to plainer ones. She seemed to have gained some weight back, having a small bump around her stomach from her meals.

Ella had tried to persuade Aria to go back to school. Saying that she needed an education and couldn't stay cooped up in the house forever. She wouldn't heal that way. Aria after days of her mother's begging, relented. She gave in to her mother's pleading and decided to go to school the following week.

_Aria was hauled out of the court room by two officers. Everyone in the court, including her friends, stared at the petite girl as she was led out of the building with her hands behind her back. Paparazzi surrounded every inch of the sidewalk as they tried to snap any picture or get any piece of information possible._

_When they reached the police station, she was placed back into the small cell she had stayed in for the past week. A few officers and her parents stayed inside an interrogation room, probably discussing Aria's form of punishment for what they thought she did. She had been set up, she knew it._

_"We think that sending her to the rehabilitation center in Ravenswood would be a suitable place. Seeing her insanity defense is keeping her from prison and she'd too dangerous for Radley." That was all Aria was able to hear until the cop saw her listening on and slammed the door close._

_Her parents wouldn't ship her off to a psych hospital? Would they? She knew for a fact that she was not insane. But that's what every nut job being sent to a place like that says, right?_

_When the officer came out of the interrogation room, her parents were both in tears. They stared at their daughter, who was kneeling against the bars of the cell, her shaking hands tightly clenched around the metal poles. They stared at her, not with pity, but with the disgusted, sad look you'd give a person who kicked a puppy._

_The cop swung open the cell door and roughly yanked her up. They tightened the metal handcuffs around her small wrists once more and led her outside, where an ambulance was waiting. The news cameras and reporters still followed them like hawks as they exited the building and shoved Aria into the ambulance. She was not insane. She didn't belong there._

Aria stared at her naked body in the mirror. Her small, thin fingers traced her slightly engorged stomach and her thin cheekbones. The scars were still there. They always would be. The thread stitching up those wounds were still weaved through her skin, seeing that she refused to see a doctor. She stared pitifully at her rib cage that stubbornly continued to poke out from her body, making her almost look like she was just bone.

It was her first day going back to school, or leaving the house since she came back nevertheless. Saying Aria was nervous would be an understatement. She had idea how the town would react when they saw her face.

* * *

Ezra dragged his red pen across a small corner of the paper her was grading, writing the grade for the sloppily written English paper. His classroom was empty and dim from the early morning sun. A knock at his door startled him out of his concentration.

"Ah, Mr. Hackett. What can I do for you?" Ezra asked the older man as he stepped into his room.

"Oh great, I caught you at a good time." His boss started, he flattened out his suede jacket a little nervously. "There is a new student who is coming into your class today. The individual has been... detained for about two years for reasons I'd rather not discuss." Mr. Hackett ceased from speaking. He let the younger man take in the news. Ezra was rather taken back. A student who was previously locked up? What was Hackett getting at?

"Ezra, I know that you have no trouble connecting with kids in your class at a platonic level. The pupils in your classes seem to really like you. That's why I was going to ask if you'd be able to help this student catch up with the curriculum when they arrive." Ezra, of course, simply agreed but was still a little shocked about the whole thing. Over his year and a half of being around in Rosewood, he'd never heard anything about a student who committed any sort of felony that required years of imprisonment. The subject seemed to hit a sore spot with Hackett as Ezra observed. The man kept straightening his jacket and clearing his throat. He had no idea what he just agreed to.

By the next bell, not long after Hackett left, Ezra's third period class began to file in. As the kids tiredly stumbled in, Ezra still sat at his desk twirling his red pen. His face was stuck in one of confusion and deep thought. After waking from his deep thinking, Ezra assumed his teacher like aura and began his class.

"Good morning class. I'd like you all to take out your essays from yesterday and pass them up..." Ezra announced, coming up to each row to collect the small stacks. He hadn't even realized the door had opened until almost the entire class gasped.

Ezra turned his head and laid his eyes on a beautiful, petite girl. Her waist length chestnut brown hair clouded her face, shielding her eyes from him. She looked skinny, even a little too skinny. This couldn't have been the person Hackett was talking about. He was expecting a tall male with military cut hair and large muscles. Maybe even tattoos. Not a small girl who looked as if she couldn't hurt a fly even if she tried.

"Can I help you?" Ezra asked after realizing he was staring a little too long at the young girl. /Get yourself together Ezra/. The small girl lifted her head, revealing bright hazel eyes that greatly contrasted against her pale skin. She nodded and spoke with a small, raspy voice.

"Is this Mr. Fitz's room?" Ezra heard whispering and stares circling around the room that were directed at this unknown girl. Ezra just nodded in response to the girls' question. He nodded and directed her to a seat next to Spencer Hastings. He observed oddly as Spencer stared at the girl with widened eyes.

"Aria, what are you doing back?" Her voice was laced with cold malice.


	3. Chapter 3

**I hope you guys are enjoying reading this story cause I'm really enjoying writing it! Please let me know what you think about this cause your feedback _really _matters. No review goes unnoticed or unappreciated!**

Ezra watched Aria's face whiten from Spencer's hard edged glare. Hanna Marin and Emily Fields also stared at the tiny girl with surprise but also a bit of fear. To be honest, most of everyone in the room had their eyes fixed on the highly malnourished girl. Ezra couldn't help but wonder what this girl had done to deserve the scrutiny she was receiving.

After he loudly cleared his throat, Ezra finally wrangled back the attention of his now hyper alert class and continued his lesson. He could help but notice Aria slipping in and out of focus as he spoke. Ezra picked up his voice in attempt to wake her back into the lesson. Her eyes snapped up almost instantaneously to meet his. Her prominent greenish eyes looked like they sunk deep into their dark sockets, like a hazel-eyed, still breathing ghost. Her look nearly snatched his breath away.

From his high angle, as he continued to ramble to his class about _The Great Gatsby_, he could see what looked like a faint stitch mark on her collar bone. Not that he was being perverted or anything, looking down a minor's shirt, but it was so obvious against her fair skin.

He hoped to God as he looked away that Aria nor anyone in the class caught him staring.

"Alright class, I want to know what is your impression of Gatsby in the first chapters that we are introduced to his character. Write it in your journals and if you don't finish in the 20 minutes, it is for homework, go!" Ezra turned his back and began to write the question on the black board behind him. As he turned back around, he saw Aria confusedly rummaging around her things. Placing the worn down piece of chalk back on the holder, he squatted down besides Aria's desk.

"Aria," He whispered, catching her attention, "If you haven't read the book-"

"I've read it already." She confirmed, her voice clipped but croaky.

"Well then, if you want to write the essay, go right ahead. But if you don't want to, I see you have the other required books so you can start to read those." Ezra eyed_ The Scarlet Letter_ and _Pride and Prejudice_ from inside the small leather bag hanging from the back of her chair. Ezra silently stood up and began to survey the room as he sauntered around. He tried to keep his focus on his class, but found it extremely difficult.

For some reason, this girl intrigued him. She looked and acted so innocent. He started to doubt the fact that she had been detained. It just didn't seem to add up in his mind.

He eyed Aria as she silently read. He mentally berated himself for longing to stare at her and wanting to know her. It seemed that everything was so captivating about her and he didn't know why.

The bell rung, dismissing all the students to their next classes. Ezra observed Aria as she packed up. He knew studying her without her knowing was wrong, but he could see something deep down. She just constantly looked sad, like she was trapped inside her own mind.

"Aria, can I borrow a moment of your time?" He blurted out as she almost reached the door. Aria stopped short and paused for a moment before timidly walked up to his desk, keeping her eyes down and focused on the fake wood that built his desk.

"I know you haven't been in school for a while and I was wondering if you'd be available some afternoons for tutoring sessions?" Ezra was digging himself into a deeper hole. He was supposed to be helping her in this school, but this girl was a complete mystery. Ezra felt himself wanting- needing- to find out everything about who she was, and what she had done. After only about thirty minutes with her and he had about a hundred questions to ask.

Aria nodded her head and gave Ezra what looked like a ghost of a smile.

"Great, well if your okay with meeting at The Brew whenever your free, I think it will help you catch up. You're free to go." Without meeting eyes once, Aria silently left the room, the soft clacking of her heels against the linoleum floor silenced in her wake.

Ezra honestly felt like a moth drawn to a flame, a dangerous burning flame. Because she was a minor, and he was her teacher.

* * *

High school was a little like the hell she had to stay in for two years. Just stay quiet, don't bring attention to yourself, and you'd be fine. People would look at her as if she was an object, or better yet, like she wasn't even there. Like they wanted to believe she wasn't there, because they were afraid.

As expected, Aria sat alone at lunch. Not that it made any difference to her. The only thing she wanted to do was get out of this school and out of this town. The people in it were suffocating and the guilt and emotional pain of just being there was unbearable.

"Aria!" She heard a voice call. Spencer Emily and Hanna were headed straight towards her very vacant table. She tried to resist the urge to scramble away as they came closer. "How have you been?" Hanna asked breathily as she dove into her lunch.

Aria had no idea why they were acting so nice to her. After what she had done to the three of them, why were they even looking in her direction. How had she been? Well, being ripped open and basically having her organs rearranged for 'science' was defiantly the highlight of her few years.

"I've been better." She muttered, refusing to make eye contact with her _ex_ best friends. Against the loud chatter of the lunch room, that table was the only one not engaging in conversation; all three girls could sense Aria's unease around them. Emily also looked a little flustered that they were siting with Aria. They hadn't seen her in years and now they were trying to be friends again. The strange silence between the four was broken as Spencer piped up.

"Hey, Ar. I'm sorry about how I acted in English. I was just so shocked that-"

"It's okay, really." Aria responded. Why weren't her 'friends' ready to kill her and send her back to the rehab center? Why were they being so gentle to her? They were practically acting like what she did never happened!

"We all really missed you." Hanna stated, reaching out to touch Aria's hand. Spencer nodded and Emily merely grunted, not wanting to look her way. Aria didn't answer Hanna, it's not that she didn't miss them too, she just didn't deserve to be accepted here again.

"Why did you do it, Aria? What did you get out of it?" Emily asked scornfully. Spencer and Hanna hissed at Emily, mumbling some things to calm her down. Aria sat at the table, frozen. Why did she do it? Aria shakily stood up with all of the girls eyes on her, but she looked away, not wanting to look at Emily's searing gaze.

"You deserve an answer. But I don't have one." Spencer tried to interject into what Aria was saying. "Nothing I can say or do can reverse what I did. You guys can stop with the whole nice act."

"But Aria-" Before Spencer could finish what she was saying, Aria angrily picked up her untouched lunch and dumped it out. She then wordlessly ran out of the cafeteria, leaving Emily, Spencer, and Hanna speechless.

* * *

Aria had told Ezra that she was available after school for tutoring. Home was the last place she wanted to be right now. To be fair, this entire town was the last place she wanted to be in. But it was the one place she knew she was safe, even if she didn't feel it.

As soon as Aria entered the coffee shop, a few shocked gasps pierced through the calm silence. People craned their heads all around to look at Aria as she whipped her head around to find Ezra.

"Aria, hi." Ezra said hurriedly, noticing all of the expressions from the shop goers. "Can I get you a coffee or something?"

"No thank you, Mr. Fitz." She said, nodding nonchalantly and quickly striding to the table he was seated at.

"You can call me Ezra outside the classroom, Aria."

"No, I can't." Aria said in a fast tone before quickly diverting her face. Ezra was slightly appalled by her quick response and waited a moment before sitting down.

"O-okay. Well, uh, take a seat and we'll review some of the basics that you have missed." He rambled as he shuffled through his lesson plans. "You have the required books, right?" Aria merely nodded in response and retrieved the respective books from her leather bag.

Ezra observed Aria as she writhed in her seat, seemingly nervous and unable to keep still. She constantly changed the position of her feet and her hands as he spoke.

"What's your opinion on the themes in the book; sin and guilt." He asked, trying to capture Aria's attention as he tapped his pointer finger on _The Scarlet Letter._

Aria body was there with him, he could certainly see her right in front of him. Her eyes, on the other hand, seemed distant. They always did seem that way whenever he looked into her hazel abysses. She seemed to be in her own world at the moment, like she was in his classroom.

Ezra noticed the lack of passion or even the slightest bit of interest in what he was talking about. Even it wasn't in English, he could always see a passion about something in everyone's eyes- except Aria's.

_The ambulance smelled of antiseptic and latex. Aria's arms began to scream with pain as she rubbed them up against the tightly fastened cuffs. Everything about being in this vehicle made her want to cry. The strong feeling of being trapped in there was suffocating. She felt her breath and heart quicken as she tried to calm herself. Now was not the best time to have a panic attack, they'd only think she was more insane. From the two windows on the doors, she could see the darkness taking over the sky. Aria tried to focus on the trees or the setting sun to relax her to some degree._

_When the ambulance stopped, she was roughly grabbed by the two officers driving the automobile and heaved up the hard steps. As the old wooden doors opened, the musty smell of dust and a metallic scent filled her nose. A few people were already what she assumed was the lobby. They all gave odd looks as Aria was led to one woman dressed in a nuns uniform. She smiled ruefully at Aria was wordlessly grabbed her immobile wrists and walked her into a room. The room was a dirty white and it smelled of grime. The woman placed Aria down face first down on the hard, metal bed, unstrapped her bloodied wrists from the shackles, and stabbed a large needle into her neck. The contents of the needle stung like liquid fire injected into her neck._

_"Welcome to Ravenswood." The old voice from the woman crooned._

"Aria?"

He waited a moment for her to react to his voice as it rose. Suddenly, without even thinking, Ezra placed his hand atop of Aria's in an attempt to wake her back into the present. She was immediately startled by the sudden warm touch from his palm and yanked her hand away.

"I-I'm sorry, Ezr- Mr. Fitz. What were you saying?" Aria asked as she tried to focus on something to keep her from slipping away into her own mind.

"The themes in the book, guilt and sin. What do you think about them?" He watched Aria think for a moment, glancing at his hand which was still resting on the book.

"The sin relates to the story of Adam and Eve, right? There mistakes gives Hester and Dimmesdale punishment but also knowledge." The corners of Ezra's mouth turned up and he nodded, praising Aria. He began to ask her more questions and talk with her about the books, in hopes she wouldn't drift away again.

People around them continued to stare, murmuring rumors and rude comments. None of them Ezra was able to fully comprehend, but it seemed to him that Aria could hear them perfectly. Tears formed in the corners of her tired, dark eyes as she listened to Ezra talk.

The pain was too much for him to see. These people were heartless and couldn't see how much this girl was coming undone right in front of him. Her small, bony hand covered her mouth as she tried to keep back sobs. Ezra gently placed his warm palm on hers again to bring her attention back to his voice.

"We can continue this another time. Next session can be somewhere a little more private." He plucked a loose leaf sheet of paper from inside his bag and scribbled his address onto it. "Just contact me in class whenever your available." He smiled sympathetically and began to pack up his things. The session hadn't been a complete bust, but it definitely could have gone better. He wished he could see what was hurting her so badly and could know what all those people continue to gossip about. But it was very well possible that he may never know.

It might have been a little odd, but Ezra felt a large pull towards this girl. He not only wanted to know more, but he wanted to help her. It was wrong, so wrong. He could be fired from his job just by having her in his apartment, but he felt like he had to- and it scared him.

**I want to try and do a flashback every chapter even if it's a short one. I want to know what you want to see from Aria's past in Ravenswood of even before that. I can't spoil what she did just yet but there are some hints of what she did. Please don't forget to review and thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm actually really happy with how this chapter came out. This story really gives me a chance to dive deep into a dark place and explore different emotions than in my other stories. I hope you all enjoy the chapter and are loving the story as a whole like I do! Reviews are highly appreciated.**

"Hardy, I'm in trouble." Ezra admitted with a grumbling head shake as he handed his long time friend a beer. Hardy was his trusted adviser whenever it came down to his pitiful troubles. The dirty blonde man blew air out of his nose as he popped the cap of the beer off.

"What's going on, bro? Still hurting over Jackie or is your mother being bitchy? I can't exactly help you with the latter but I'm here for venting." He asked sarcastically as he took a small swig. The two men leaned against the back of Ezra's kitchen counter, alcohol in hand. Ezra's mind was nonstop reeling over Aria. She was a mystery, and he was captured in her trance.

"Neither actually, it's um... So there's this girl, m-my student..." Before Ezra could finish, Hardy slapped an open palm against Ezra's weak chest to silence him, making him groan in pain.

"I'm going to stop you right there and make you think about what you just said." Hardy's face looked dead serious in comparison to the upbeat, sardonic attitude he had on moments before. He turned to look right at Ezra, keeping his palm against his body. "I know exactly where this is going and I just want to say, don't be an idiot about this, man. You worked too hard to get this job and you are not going to throw it all away because of some minor."

"Hardy, I don't know what it is, but there is just something about her that just draws me in. She's beautiful and mysterious but broken and-" Ezra hopeless rambles were cut off by another one of Hardy's serious glares.

"Another reason for not getting involved, she's broken, as you said. We all know that you like to live up to your name, but you can't just step into her life and expect her to open up to you. It is none of your business. Leave it alone. Don't touch it with a 50 foot pole. Just leave her be." Ezra huffed and downed a good quarter or his beer. "Ezra, I'm serious. Be rational about this dude, you even saying the wrong thing to that girl could cost you your job."

Ezra remained silent, focusing on blood orange sky from his open terrace door. Hardy wasn't lying when he said he could lose his job, just giving her his address like he did could result in him scrambling for a new job. But for some reason, the pull towards her was so strong.

Hardy watched silently as his friend thought over his argument, little did he know that his complaints and worries only made Ezra crave her even more. "If that's all you called me here for man, I'm out. Think over what I said, I'm just trying to do the best thing for you." And with that, the dirty blonde left the building, his fingers still wrapped around the half full beer bottle.

* * *

Her parents said she was getting better. She looked better, gaining weight little by little. But that was only the things outside her baggy sweaters and decorative leggings. Aria's scars and stitches were still prominently visible on her nearly translucent skin. The dark purple circles didn't seem to disappear from under her sunken eyes, no matter how much concealer she smothered on.

Aria often sat by the mirror by her door. Her tiny legs folded up, shielding her scrawny, unhealthy body. She would stare into that mirror until it hurt. Her reflection screamed back at her, but it was almost hypnotizing. The more she looked at herself, the less she saw of the person she used to be. She didn't deserve a second chance like this. She didn't deserve to be babied and helped. She was nothing. A cold hearted, bloodied monster.

Byron and Ella could be heard from upstairs, fighting as if she and Mike couldn't hear them. Mike had said the fighting had been going on since she left. The whole family had never been the same since the truth came out.

Mike had started becoming a vandal, having multiple run-ins with the cops when he was doing who know what with whoever. Byron went back into his smoking habits. He had quit when Mike was born but apparently now smoked and was more angered than ever. Ella had thrown herself into her work, whether it was painting or teaching. They all continued to treat Aria as if nothing had changed, but she knew deep down that she was reason for her family's corruption.

From the reflection on the mirror, a dusty picture frame caught her eye. Her parents apparently hadn't set foot in this room ever since she left and everything seemed exactly the way she would have left it.

Aria unfolded her legs and slowly stood up, padding over to her dresser to pick up the small frame. She hated it. Her smiling face. Her big eyes. The way she held herself up that just screamed confidence. And all of her friends surrounded her, all smiling also. This was just taken a year ago before the accident. Aria still had her disgusting pink stripes, which had her labeled as a goth or an 'emo' during school.

The picture sickened her.

With the surround sound volume of her parents fights and the taunting picture that was clutched in her shaking hand, it was all too much for her. Again, she didn't deserve what she had here now. She didn't want what she had now. It only made her feel more guilty because now people were 'accepting' what she did, like it was so small it's just forgivable.

The picture slipped through Aria's fingers and on to the hardwood of her floors. The glass shattered into minuscule pieces that littered the floor. It didn't faze Aria at all; she reveled in the sound of the breaking fragile glass and the clanking of the cheap plastic frame. She just plainly stood there for a moment or two, running her fingers anxiously through her chestnut tresses. The pads of her calloused fingers brushed against a shaved spot of hair by the back of her neck, making her eyes twitch. She could feel the small hairs growing over the messily stitched up wound from her 'operations'. Aria remembered the sick bastards at the place going so far as to cut her head open, still fully conscious.

The screaming from down the stairs soon subsided and the parents had gone to their respective, separate rooms. Aria, leaving the broken glass the way it was, grabbed her fake ID as many dollar bills as she could safely carry from her old black wallet that was placed on her desk. She slipped the money into her bra and quietly bounded down the stairs. She nabbed Ella's car keys from the hook by the door before stopping and remembering, she didn't know how to drive. And she didn't want to get the car demolished after she had gone where she was headed.

Aria placed the keys back on the hook and slowly opened the creaky door before slipping smoothly out.

The bar was generally quiet for a Friday night, besides the few college boys who eyes Aria as soon as she walked in. The inside of the place smelled of men's cologne and old beer. Some soft rock song she couldn't recognize was playing lightly in the distance and the lights were turned down low. Ignoring everyone and everything else, Aria knew that she badly needed something to ease her nerves and give her a sense of release, even if it meant consequences in the morning. Her nimble fingers gently pinched the bridge of her nose as she took a seat on one of the large stools and inhaled the scent of sweaty college boys.

"Can I get something for you, miss?" The bartender said as he wiped a small dish towel around the soggy table beside him. Aria, without hesitation, showed him her ID and gave him a twenty. She spoke with frustration in her voice.

"Anything, just something strong." To be honest, Aria had almost never drunken alcohol, it had driven her to do things she couldn't take back. But she was in desperate need of something to alleviate her constant pain and guilt.

The bar tender set down a few small glasses filled to the brim with an amber colored liquid. "Here you go." The man walked away nonchalantly to take more orders or clean up.

Aria picked up the first of four miniature glasses and tipped her head back before emptying the contents of the glass into her mouth. The alcohol burned her insides all the way down, and strangely, it excited her. The small buzz she got from that one glass made her crack a small, devious smile before dumping another small amount of the drink into her.

By the time she had finished all of them, she felt calm but also had a thirst for more. Thinking rationally for a few seconds before slipping back into her haze of drunkenness, Aria had ordered a beer, something lighter. She nursed the translucent brown bottle, staring off into the distance and eyeing all of the things plastered on the walls.

Everything seemed to be all gung-ho, Aria was nearly drunk enough to make out with one of the sleazy older boys eyeing her as she nearly drink her weight and let him take her home. She was slowly writhing in her seat to whatever rock song was playing around. It felt good to be this buzzed, for once in a long time, the one thing not at the front of her mind was all the guilt and emotions built up in her.

_Her room constantly reeked with the scent of grime and vomit. Most times, Aria would spend the day laying on the hard metal board of a bed and hoping to God she wasn't next. There were times in the sanitarium where the 'doctors' would roughly grab Aria from her constant fetal position and drag her to a common room type place and force her to sit with a bunch of other loons. There was one patient who she had made company with when they were forced into the cramped room. He was a boy about three years older than her, Elliot. His reddish blonde hair was shaved in some places and his face and arms were marred. _She didn't exactly find out about the operations until three days after her admission. _On the third day, he came in with his neck bloodied and stitched, claiming through motions that they had removed his vocal cords after he was screaming in his room about the injustice of the place._

_It was there and then that Aria learned to keep her mouth shut in there, and she would be fine for the time being._

_Aria had received her first operation about a week after Elliot. You could say that the doctors went easy on her that day, but easy wasn't exactly the way Aria would describe it. Like everyone else, she was uncomfortably strapped down on the table to ensure that you could not move. Beside the table was a small tray of sterilized needles, each with a slightly different colored injection inside them. About five doctors examined Aria like she wasn't even human; poking and prodding at her body as they stripped her, literally and metaphorically. The needles stung like a wasp sting and she could feel the liquid inside of her whole body, feeling as if the contents were sizzling her insides. The more she screamed, the more irritable the doctors became and how much more painful the operation became._

The night was one of the most stress free in her life until she heard a nearly sobering voice ring through her head. The voice was laced with confusion and concern.

"Aria?"

* * *

After Hardy had left, Ezra's mind would not stop bringing back Aria to his mind, no matter how hard he tried not to think about her. Hardy was right, this girl was toxic and it could never happen. Seeing her in school was inevitable but thinking about her, he just had to learn to not.

Searching desperately his fridge and cabinets for something stronger than Board Shorts Ale, Ezra just settled for going to a bar. He was in need of some fresh air anyway.

It was his typical bar, the one he went to on the weekends in college near the Hollis campus. The smell of strong alcohol and sweat from previous younger boys filled his nostrils the moment he stepped in. It wasn't exactly the cleanest bar, but at least their scotch was better than their hygiene skills.

He passed a few college boys who were all staring collectively at a tiny brunette girl sitting alone, multiple empty or half empty glasses littered around her. They all nodded and bumped each other as they smirked, which slightly disgusted him. Ezra took a seat one stool away from hers, eyeing the small amount of her he could get a glimpse of.

It wasn't until she turned her head fully to the side that Ezra could see who the girl was, Aria. What in the hell was she doing here?

"Aria?" He asked, leaning in a bit close to her as if his eyes were deceiving him. The girl snapped her head to look at him and her face wasn't one of shock, but as if he had startled her out of something. Her deep hazel eyes were glazed over, her soft cheeks were tinted with a pinkish hue and overall, she looked completely hammered.

This was bad, really bad. He came her to forget about her, and now she could be in potential danger with all these lurking older men. Aria kept staring at him with those empty eyes, she twirled around the quarter full bottle in her hand and tried unsuccessfully to keep a straight face.

"E-Ezra?" She slurred, smiling a little as his name shook out of her. Hardy's wise words rang though Ezra's head. Talking to her and anyone he knew being here could get him fired. Hardy was right when he said he couldn't just jump into her life and expect to be able to help her. But It hurt to think about what those men could do to Aria if he just left. They would most likely take advantage of her from the satisfied, but vile looks they were giving her.

"Aria, what are you doing here?" Ezra said, clenching his teeth as he fought the urge to show any more signs of concern. Aria's drunken smile drooped and she focused her hazy eyes on the back wall.

"I needed something," Her voice caught at the last word. Aria took one large gulp of her drink, swallowing the rest of whatever alcohol was in her hand. Ezra turned back slightly to see that the highly immature boys remained staring at Aria as she downed her drink. He couldn't take it anymore, fuck everything. He was going for it.

"C'mon Aria, let's go." Ezra took her surprisingly cold hand into his. Her eyes stared up him incredulously, as if he was joking. He attempted to help her off her seat, which resulted in Aria nearly falling to the ground before Ezra caught her. She giggled drunkenly and loosely draped one of her arms around his neck as he helped her walk out. About halfway to his car, Aria dropped her head onto his shoulder and whispered incomprehensible sentences into his ears. He could hear the sound of her voice breaking and cracking as she spoke. Ezra only wished he could decipher what was coming out of her mouth.

The ride home was very uncomfortable for Ezra once he really took a toll on what was happening. His completely hammered, underage student was passed out in his car. He had no idea where her house was, and the only choice left for them was his apartment. As much as he hated that option and it built up a bad feeling in his conscious, it was his only choice.

The trip up the stairs was a complete other story. But once they reached his apartment, Aria was placed bridal style in Ezra's arms, still completely passed out. He hoped to every god there was that no one saw him carry his sleeping student into his apartment. The questions that would arise if anyone were to have seen that. Once in the room, he placed her gingerly in his bed and quickly decided not to give her new clothes, he already had enough guilt to live with for tonight.

Ezra was still confused and even more intrigued by this girl than ever. There was a horrible feeling inside him that these past moments would come back to bite him. He had practically kidnapped this girl and brought her to his apartment. This was wrong, illegal. He would surely be arrested immediately if anyone were to find out.

But it was already too late. He had an overwhelming feeling for this girl that he couldn't even describe. He had no idea what it was or how to deal with it. Who would have thought that Ezra Fitz would be the man to fall head over heels with his student?


	5. Chapter 5

**I know it has been awhile since I updated and I apologize. I took a week off because I just needed one after I finished Familiar Faces, and anyway, it was spring break so let me have that :). So, here is the next chapter, it's a little dark at first but the whole story is dark so whatever. Enjoy!**

_Aria felt her body pressed against the familiar metal board. Her arms bound by the wrist with the rough, worn leather straps. The cold air chilled her bare top half as she laid on the board alone in the room. The room smelled of dried vomit and slight scent of cleaning products, most likely a fruitless attempt to clean or disguise the ugly stench. It couldn't be possible; how was she back right where she started? Aria could not remember being taken back, it couldn't have happened. Was there a man hunt for her without her knowing?_

_The large, bright lamp in the room shined high above her, easily displaying and bringing attention to her exposed upper body. The rest of her body, from her hips down, was covered in a tattered, stained sheet. Loud footsteps were heard against the germ filled, tiled floors and a dark silhouette looked below at her, blocking the light from the lamp._

_"Ah, Ms. Montgomery, so glad to have you back in Ravenswood. You've been missed." The man's sickeningly sarcastic voice spoke. As Aria's eyes adjusted to the sudden lack of light, they focused on the doctor's face and his stone cold expression. Some of the light from the lamp reflected off of his thick framed glasses, putting a slight glint in his sunken grey eyes. "Too bad you had to try and fly away. Because of that, I had to clip your wings. But do not fret, my surgical training was impeccable." The doctor's hand clutched the dirtied sheet and ripped it from Aria's body. The doctor's hard expression changed to one of a sadistic smile as he observed Aria's prominent horror. Her legs were cut, chopped down the knees and sewed up to just stubs. She tried to scream, but the doctor immediately hushed her with his bloody, gloved hand._

_'Oh, come now, Ms. Montgomery. You don't want to end up like your friend Elliot, now do you?" He brought his hand down from her lips and reached above to the lamp. He adjusted it so it shone to the corner of the room. There, strapped into a chair in the corner, was Elliot, his throat slit and his mouth foaming; dead as a door nail. Aria tried to resist the urge to scream, to cry out. But she couldn't tear her eyes from his body, his mutilated, dead, body._

Her eyes shot open and flashed around the darkened room. The first thing Aria noticed when she shot up from her nightmare was that her head was as heavy as a bowling ball and she felt the strong urge to up chuck all over the bed she was laying in. The second thing was that she was not in her own bed. Hell, she wasn't even in her own house. She also realized it was still early in the morning as the memories of the following night flashed through her head. The last memories she could clearly recall was Ezra's voice ringing through her head before everything went back into the drunken haze.

She was about to scream, not knowing exactly where she was, before a man shot up from the couch, his face blocked in a dark silhouette. She tried to contain her breathing and back as far away as she could until she hit hard wall.

The silhouette flicked on the small lamp perched on the night side table, illuminating his face; it was Ezra. Aria was sleeping in her English teacher's bed.

Aria immediately groaned and covered her tear stained eyes with her arms at the sudden bright light. When her eyes adjusted slowly to the light, even against her head's constant pounding, she took her arm away from her face. The first thing her eyes were fixed on was her English teacher's toned chest. Ezra was only dressed in his boxers when Aria had shot up from his bed. He had no time to grab a cover up when he assumed she was moments away from having a panic attack.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly, reaching for her arm as she wound the blanket around her body even though she was fully clothed. He noticed her smeared makeup and wet cheeks an immediately became worried.

"Yeah, I think so." She croaked, she could feel the tightness in her neck as if she was about to cry, and her vomit making its way up her throat. "I just- what happened?" Aria placed a hand against her mouth to refrained from puking on her teacher, who was practically naked right next to her. Her mind still reeled from the night before and all the thinking made her mind hurt. Ezra sensed her discomfort and aching and before answering, stood up straight again and walked to the kitchen. The moment he turned around, the sound of rushed, heavy footsteps was heard behind him. He heard heaving and moaning sounds coming from the bathroom.

Disregarding the medicine and water, Ezra bolted to the bathroom, where Aria lay trembling against the toilet seat. He kneeled next to the small girl and swept her brunette hair to one side, gently holding it in a bunch with one hand and rubbing circles on her back with the other. They sat like that for awhile, with Aria's arms and head resting on the toilet seat as she awaited another round and Ezra, who patiently, but awkwardly half naked, sat by her side.

Once she was done, Ezra helped her up and back to the bed before going back to get some medicine. He poured two pills into his hand and grabbed a large glass of water before walking back over to where she was resting.

"I'm sorry," Aria rasped, her hazel orbs not daring to meet his. Ezra handed her the glass of water, which she gulped half of it down in a hurry.

"These will help make you feel better, and for what?" He poured the two small, white pills into Aria's hand, which she merely stared at, her face crumpling and draining of color. He didn't seem to get an answer until she soon gulped down the pills and shuddered, her eyes full of a different kind of pain as they met his for the first time in the night. He noticed how pale she looked, more pale than her usual fair complexion.

"For waking you up, for taking your bed and filling it with the retching scent of all the alcohol I drank, for burdening you tonight." Her head motioned to the clock by his bedside that read 6:05 in the morning.

"Trust me, it's not a problem. I saw the way those guys looked at you at the bar. I just didn't want you getting hurt." Ezra gave a genuine smile and got up from the bed before turning off the light. "You should get some more sleep, Aria." As he got up from the bed, Aria spoke up.

"Mr. Fitz? Do you think I can borrow some new clothing?" She asked, her voice slightly weakening. Nodding and without another word, Ezra had grabbed his smallest Hollis shirt and plaid pajama pants and handed them to Aria.

"I think after tonight you can call me Ezra. You know where the bathroom is." He chuckled, their hands brushing momentarily as he let go of the clothing. There was an odd silence before Aria got up from the bed and padded silently into the bathroom where she spent a portion of time before heaving up her lungs.

Aria began to strip the foul smelling articles of clothing off of her aching body. She stood in the middle of Ezra's highly illuminated bathroom, staring at her half naked reflection. The bright red thread of her stitches were still visible through her slowly binding skin. Aria also more closely observed the purple circles around her and the smeared eyeliner on her cheeks. After washing the inky stripes from her face, she quickly began to shove on the shirt and pants after she noticed the amount of time she was taking being in the bathroom, and how Ezra must have been getting suspicious.

"Here, I'll take those." Ezra said as he plucked the alcohol and puke scented clothing from Aria's arms and placed them into a wrapped plastic bag. "How are you feeling, Aria?" Not one single person had asked Aria that question since she arrived and hadn't expected her to fly off the handle. Everyone she came in contact with tiptoed around her like a land mine. Ezra didn't know what she did, he couldn't have. He was too kind to her and didn't treat her like a fragile doll or look at her like a monster. And if he didn't know already, he couldn't know, ever. The calm, pure atmosphere in the room gave her a sense of normality and non judgement. Even if she didn't deserve his hospitality, his kind, soothing voice and care, it felt nice for the time being. But she didn't deserve a single thing after what she had done and she was certain Ezra would not look at her the same if he found out.

"Better, a little." Aria pushed her hair from under the neck line of Ezra's shirt and went to sit on the bed. "But I don't think I'll be able to sleep. I still feel like shit." To be honest, she didn't want to sleep, not after the all too real nightmare. She wouldn't be able to bear another one of those without having to be in his arms, which was not an option.

Ezra merely blew air out of his nose with a smile and sat next to Aria on the bed, staring off into his darkened apartment. "Believe me, I've had my fair share of hangovers. I know what it's like." Aria couldn't even fathom the idea of Ezra drunk, he seemed too professional and gentleman like for that. But the thought did make her giggle. "Laugh all you want, but I'm telling you, it is not a pretty sight." Ezra laughed softly along with Aria as sunk into his arm, not because she was tired but because she felt safe around him. Finally she found someone who she could have a fresh start with without them having tainted thoughts about her. He felt warm and solid. The plaid flannel he had slipped on before smelled of cologne and his own manly scent; it was so inviting. For the first time since she arrived back, she felt completely safe. Even against her stomach and heads constant pounding. And her brain and conscience screaming in protest, she couldn't help but embrace the feeling of tranquility and security.

Ezra just sat still, sensing her calmness and relaxation as her head rested against his triceps. He had the strong urge to hold her against him; bury her into his chest and protect her against whatever demons she was facing. But he knew that would be wrong, she might react strangely and might not want to be held. Especially by her teacher whom she barely knew. He just plainly put his arm around her lightly and rested his hand on her side.

The silence was odd but slightly comforting for both of them. It gave them time to think about what had happened the previous night and how it led up to that very moment. It also gave Ezra time to realize how screwed over he was. Every second that passed hindered a new part of him that was immediately drawn to her. He couldn't describe the pull that he felt towards her. Maybe it was her mysterious air; the fact that she was an enigma all on her own. But he didn't know. All he did know was that he was way in over his head.

After a while, Aria collapsed on the bed, grumbling and moaning quietly in pain. She clutched her stomach lightly and buried her face into Ezra's cold pillow. She felt the bed buoy as he supposedly got off the bed. She couldn't go home like this, groaning and sick as a dog. But her parents, most likely just her mom, were probably frantic at where their daughter was. The last time she was out late was the night of was the night of the 'accident'.

When Ezra had returned, shaking Aria gently as his weight sunk in the bed, he had refilled her glass of water and made her drink it. He claimed it help with the pain and made the hangover itself shorter. Aria didn't notice any difference in pain when she finished and dubbed him as a liar for the time being.

She couldn't stay in his care forever. She had to leave before things between them crossed anymore lines than she had already just being there. It wouldn't do any of them any good if she stayed. She couldn't drag him into her hell of a world. She couldn't fill him will all of her woes and problems. She shouldn't have to rely on anyone, especially someone innocent, to seemingly take away her problems and make it all seem okay. Ezra didn't know anything about her. And that's exactly how Aria planned to keep it.

"Thank you for your kindness," Aria said, standing up on her uneasy legs and walking around his apartment to gather her cellphone and bag of clothes. "But I can take it from here." She looked away from Ezra, who stared at her incredulously.

"Are you sure? Do you need me to drive you home?" He asked, getting up again from the seat on the couch. He helped stabilize Aria as he noticed her slightly shaky steps.

"Yes, I'm sure. Thank you again, Mr. Fitz." Everything that had happened moments ago hadn't happened, she had to pretend it didn't. His expression mirrored one of a bit of hurt as she tried to break from his grasp.

"Okay," He breathed, still mentally making sure she was able to get to her house safely. "Please stay safe." He wished he could follow her, just make sure that she was alright when she reached her house. But again, it would only add to the list of illegal things he had done.

Aria silently nodded and without another word, walked out his apartment door, still dressed in his pajamas. As she made it to the staircase, her phone vibrated in her hand. She expected it to be another worried sick call from her parents or a text from her brother. But when she looked at the screen, it read from Unknown. Her heart nearly stopped as she read the message.

_Poor Aria, turning to your English teacher for comforting. Well, he's not going to want to coddle you after he knows what you've done._

_-A_

**So there you go! I hope you all enjoyed it! I took a scene from AHS in the nightmare scene so just to be clear with that. The nightmare in the beginning was not a memory, kinda obvious but incase you were confused. Again, I hoped you all liked it and do not forget to review!**


	6. Chapter 6

Her mom had been frantic since she noticed Aria had left. Ella was just about to call the police before Aria returned, clad in her teacher's pajamas, which Ella strangely didn't question. It was a possibility that Ella had thought it was Byron's clothes; the Hollis tee and plaid pants. He had been the most detached from the family anyway and maybe assumed Aria wanted a sense of familiarity from him in some form.

Mike had been worried too, but somewhat relieved for once. Everyone had been acting strange towards him again ever since Aria came back. He had just earned their respect back from him being the nutcase's brother. No one wanted to touch him with a ten foot pole once the news about Aria's arrest rapidly spread. It wasn't that he didn't want her back, it was just that he still thought of her as deranged.

Byron wasn't in the least worried, or even had a bit of care. He had drank and smoked his way into oblivion after his fight with Ella and was passed out in his office when Aria had returned home. He barely acknowledged Aria when he was either piss drunk at home or sober when he would arrive from Hollis. But why should she care about her family? They barely cared about her. They were the ones who allowed then to ship her off to the asylum and allowed those strange men to poke and cut open her body. It didn't matter now, did it? Ella was shocked to death when she saw Aria's sick body. She did all she could to nurse her back to nearly healthy when she returned. Besides, she had other things to worry about than her parents.

Even after a few days of getting that message from someone labeled A, she had no clue of who it was or how she was supposed to deal with this. She had gotten a few more taunting and teasing texts from the same alias over the course of the week. The person on the other end poked fun at her choices and brought up bad memories; things that no one should know.

Going to school on Monday turned to be a disaster. Ezra was there, of course, but more protective of her than ever before. Aria would catch him silently watching her from the hallways or sneaking looks at her in class. He hadn't called her back after class or spoke to her directly, but he was acting odd. There was something he was trying to say or wanted to say. But she made no move to talk to him, what happened days before shouldn't have. She shouldn't have leaned her body onto his and basked in the feeling of relaxation and safety. Ezra should have just left her there at the bar and let whatever would have happened then happen. The more she saw him, the more she dwelled on how dangerous it was, what they did. And how he could be arrested; how it would be her fault, again, like usual.

People were still scared of her. Everyday at school was exactly like the last; with stares burning her back and bits of whispered rumors floating through the air. There was no keeping her head up or thinking positively, she was past that, it didn't work. She and everyone else would just be setting themselves up for disappointment if they did just that. Aria was just glad to escape school each day. At the sound of the last bell, bounding to get her bag and rushing out the door. She was just glad to have survived day after day in that godforsaken town.

Most days she'd come back to an empty house until Mike or Ella came home. Byron had always home from work later than Aria remembered. Mike had said to her that Byron still had a relationship with Meredith, and not that Ella was clueless like last time, just that she didn't care anymore. The happy, picturesque family that used to be the Montgomery's was non existent. The essence of a family itself was hanging by a single thread. It was now some horrible, deceitful mess; a group of people only living in the same household because whether they believed it or not, they needed each other.

"Aria, honey?" Ella said, tiptoeing into her daughter's room and sitting down on her bed. Ella had been the only person in her family to show any form of love towards her. Although Aria knew Ella was still afraid and wary of her, and even if she didn't think she deserved it, it was comforting to have a sense of a mother's love; a pure and innocent feeling. "I think it would be best for you to see a therapist. Someone who can help you with whatever you are feeling. We know you went through a tough time."

What she was feeling? The cold hard feeling of regret and guilt burning inside her that just made her feel the need to end it all? Aria admitted to herself that she did need help. The asylum had driven her to do things that the Aria before the accident would never have the capability to do. But that part of her was taken over by a darker counterpart. She was no longer the girl who was horribly squeamish at the sight of her own blood and could barely sit through a slasher movie without cowering into someone's arm. Nonetheless basically living through one herself.

Maybe someone, a real therapist, could help. That's what they did right? That was their job. Even a person who didn't believe they deserved a second chance or was a lost cause from the start still had hope, right?

"Okay," Aria whispered. It was the only thing she said to her mother. She wrapped her sheets on her bed harder around her body as she stared nearly absentminded at the stitched patterns of the blankets. Ella patted her seemingly deranged daughter's knee and walked silently to the doorway.

"The appointment is in an hour, so be ready."

* * *

Dr. Sullivan was a tall woman with short cut hair and a soft smile, one to hopefully make her patients feel safe. It unnerved Aria a bit to see how delicately she was treating her, she just felt out of place in such a spacious and bright environment, much unlike Ezra's darkened, small, but comforting apartment or very unlike the asylum.

"So Aria, how had coming back to Rosewood been? I know you had a tough time over the past couple years." Dr. Sullivan sat in her large leather chair, a clipboard and pen in hand to jot down notes of what Aria would say. The therapist kept her eyes solely on Aria, only looking away to write down notes.

"It's been fine, surreal, but fine." Aria's answers were as bland as Dr. Sullivan's questions; asking how school was and if she reconnected with old friends or made new ones, overall avoiding the actual problem at hand with Aria.

"Aria, your mother informed me that you had been in solitary confinement for quite some time after what had happened. Do you want to talk about that?" Of course she knew what Aria did, her file was right in her arms. But did she really want to talk about it? Relive and describe every detail of what they did to her to someone who would just scribble it all down on a notepad and possibly just send her right back? She was crazy, but living proof of the torture people were exposed to. It was true that she wanted the place burned to ashes, the building itself and everyone inside of it. She dreamed of dismantling the establishment brick by brick. But what were the chances? If she were to show the world her scars, who would they believe? Trained doctors, psychiatrists, and nuns, or a helpless insane girl, trapped in her own mind and tainted by her memories? Who's to say the sick people working there would just take her back, saying her wounds were self inflicted and that she should return, seeing her very unstable condition.

"No, I have nothing to say." She stated, staring down at the carpeted floors of the room. Aria studied every square inch of the room, purposely avoiding Dr. Sullivan's stoic expression. Maybe she was right all along, no one could help her, not even the town's well known therapist. She didn't know what to say or what not to reveal about the place without saying things she shouldn't. The wrong thing could land her right back. It could make Dr. Sullivan peg her as insane and send her in a straight jacket back to Ravenswood.

Dr. Sullivan took a deep breath and studied her clip board before speaking again. "Would you like to talk about the accident involving-"

"No!" Aria knew exactly what she was going to ask, not wanting hear what she was about to say. As if on a cue, Elliot's smooth voice echoed in her mind, as clear as day.

_"C'mon, no ones in here just for the fun of it. Whatcha do?"_

That had been the only time she had repeated the crimes she had committed, and why she just wasn't in a regular jail. Even though she didn't believe the claims against her, they had proof, somehow they had proof she was mad. Repeating the things Aria scarcely remembered was terrible enough. Even just hearing something related to what had gone down made her almost instantly slip back into a dark place; an abyss of blurred memories and overwhelming guilt.

"That's okay," Dr. Sullivan scribbled a few more words on her notepad before standing up, keeping the signature straight face. "I think we are done here, Aria. I'll see you soon." She patted her patient's shoulder lightly and watched from her spot in the room as Aria solemnly walked out of her office.

Aria insisted to her mother that she should walk home, saying the air would be good for her. It didn't take much of a fight for Ella to say yes, under the conditions that she must call when she left Dr. Sullivan's office. Obediently, Aria rang her mother and told her she had just exited and was making her way home. It wasn't a very long walk home from the office. She had walked this same sidewalk when she was barely clothed and twig like, her first time breathing in fresh air and being outside in nearly two and a half years.

A few stray, browning leaves scuttled across her sneaker clad feet as she rounded the corner to her house. The familiar creaking of the old wooden steps sounded as she put her weight on them. From the doorway, she could hear shouting and yelling. Aria froze, her hand shaking as she seized her attempt to knock at the door. She heard her name loudly slurred from what sounded like her father's mouth. Before she could even take a step back, the lock was unhinged and the door quickly swing open, revealing Mike in a dark hoodie. He glared at her for a split second before bounding down the stairs and walking backwards, still facing Aria. She could see the angry, raging fire in his eyes from feet away.

"Don't follow me," He growled before dashing off in the opposite direction Aria came from.

**I wanted the reader's opinion on this. I have a whole flashback chapter already drafted about a large part of Aria's overwhelming guilt. It isn't the reason she was sent to the asylum, but it's a memory that she believes changed her into the person she is now. I wanted to know if you think it would be good to release it for the next chapter, or add another one before it. I'm not the best with pacing and I just wanted the audience's input! Thank you for reading this chapter and hopefully you'll review! I read and cherish each one so don't hesitate to leave one!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok, two chapters in two days! Can I get a hooah?! I know this one is a lot shorter than my usual, but it's a really good chapter besides the length of it. I can almost promise you that you will like it almost as much as I did writing it. Enjoy this important chapter and reviews are always appreciated!**

The asylum common room reeked of rotting food and vomit. The questionably hypnotizing classical music was heard playing softly through out the room. Every insane person was thankful that at least a few times a week, they were let out of their dark, infested rooms and able to "mingle" with others or do whatever they pleased. Aria and Elliot were probably the most grateful that they were able to see each other.

Aria sat in one of the creaky wooden chairs that at she expected to, at any moment, break into pieces under her nearly non existent weight. Elliot say across from her, making hands signals as he communicated. Since the inhumane operation on his vocal cords, he and Aria devised a way for him to talk with Aria without the use of his voice, obviously.

This day was not their usual conversation about what their previous experiments consisted of or how the people who ruled this place were obviously satanists, despite all the wooden crosses and Christian titles. For over a week, they had hatched the plan to escape and had been working on it ever since.

Elliot had told Aria about his previous attempts to escape, but left out the cruel punishments he received when caught, in fear she would back out of the plan. Both him and Aria had their fair share of scars, emotionally and physically but Aria was still a newbie to the place in his eyes; she was still afraid. Luckily, Elliot was able to pinpoint roughly where each guard would be at each hour based on his close watch on all of them. Being his fifth year there, he was accustomed to each guard and his or her rounds around the hellish sanitarium.

They had to wait until they were both assigned to work in the basement, where the laundry and other forced labor was done. That was where the underground emergency escape was placed. Fortunately, the following day, Elliot was assigned with Aria and two other inmates to work down in the dark, cold basement. But it was their closest place to freedom. Elliot learned the hard way that even in a place so barren and hellish, there was a glint if hope, if you were prepared to do some dirty work.

That following day, they were forced down the hard stairs by the guard and into the underground basement. They were ordered to wash and fold clothes 'until they said so'. But the guards didn't exactly watch the room, they didn't really have to. There was no place to escape that the other inmates knew about. They all assumed everyone there was already acquainted to the asylum's strict regimen. The only inmate to ever cause a large ruckus was Elliot, who the men saw as tamed after the hasty removal of his voice box and vocal cords.

Elliot and Aria faced each other at opposite tables as they simultaneously drenched shirts in the barely clean water and passed them to the inmate beside them for hanging and folding. The four criminals worked silently, the only sound in the room being the sloshing of water and the wet slapping sound of the clothing against the metal boards.

When the time came, on Elliot's silent signal, Aria took the shirt she was wetting and twisted it up. When the inmate beside her was busy hanging the wet clothes, she tied the damp shirt around the persons mouth and nose. There was light screaming and thrashing involved for the both of them until Aria heard a loud bang from Elliot's side. Following his actions, Aria grabbed the knot of the shirt behind the person's head and forced his head down hard against the metal table. A puddle of crimson blood began to form around the criminal's head as it collapsed against the hard ground. Aria was nearly shocked out her mind at what she had done until Elliot grabbed her wrist, a crazed look on his face, and ran with her towards a large rack of plastic containers. Elliot pushed aside the rack and there stood the door. He tugged on the handle roughly until it opened with a loud creak and dragged Aria down the long, dark hallway.

They could both hear the yelling and hollering of the guards behind them as they bolted down the narrowing hallway. The guards footsteps became louder and louder as both Aria and Elliot became weaker, their tired limbs close to giving out. Elliot opened a door to a boiler room nearby and slipped inside, his hand still weakly holding Aria's wrist. Her survival skills kicked in before Elliot was able to fully get her in. The clashing of the shoe soles against concrete became louder as the guards came closer. Aria grabbed the handle to the door and yanked her wrist from his grasp. She could see Elliot's shocked and betrayed face as she forced the door close as loudly as she could, whispering her apologies as she did. With all the strength she had left, she ran to the farthest door and hid inside, she could hear both guards stopping by Elliot's door and forcing him off of his tired appendages. Yes, Elliot was no saint. He had murdered his siblings but was kept out of jail because of his antisocial disorder, which had driven him to commit the act unemotionally. But that didn't mean it was okay to betray him. He was her only friend in that godforsaken place. Knowing she could do something like that without a second thought scared her.

Aria could feel the hot tears running down her face as she heard the shouting and sounds of footsteps fading. Even though she hated to do that, hated to be betray him and leave him there. It was what she had to do. But now she was all alone, she didn't know her way around the underground like he did. She'd surely be discovered missing and found before she could fully escape.

So with a heavy heart, Aria stumbled up and out of the closet she had hid in. She silently walked down the long, dark hallway. The overwhelming sounds of what had happened ricocheted through her brain as she walked. She came back into the laundry room. The unconscious and most likely dead bodies they had left were collected and the room was empty with the faint sound of a humming machine. Aria stepped up the stairs and stumbled defeatedly back into the common room. A few crazed eyes landed on her but most were focused on whatever it was they were doing. No guards were in the room, but she could hear screaming coming from outside the thin walls of the common room

Aria took a seat in her usual chair, slumping her head against her arm and the wooden table as more tears slid down her dampened cheeks. It hadn't occurred to her until then that she had been at fault for killing someone, only this time, she remembered it as clear as day. The dark red blood forming around the head and the pained, shocked look on the person's face as they struggled on the ground. The sight of the person's face turning a light blue as they fought to get a bit of air back into their body. Even though it felt like a lifetime that Aria spent staring at that body, it had only been a few short seconds until Elliot snapped her back into reality, reminding of the plan; her only chance of getting out. It hadn't occurred to her until then that the people she and Elliot both killed had lives. They weren't just cold blooded criminals. They had experiences, thoughts, feelings, good and bad memories just like everyone else did. And she was the reason that they didn't have a second chance of living like she and Elliot did back then.

Suddenly, sound of loud buzzing was heard through the room, louder than usual. But no screaming like usual came from the room one away from them. Everyone in the common room froze or ceased from making sound, like they knew what was going on. A few shocked looks were shared and the smell of almost burning meat wafted into the room. Only one patient would not have the power to scream or shout while being exposed to that form of torture, and to the extent to which it was being given.

It was safe to say that Elliot didn't come back to the common room the following day, or the one after that. And it was safe to say that Aria was fully responsible for it.


	8. Chapter 8

More screaming and shouting ensued after Mike had left the scene. Aria hadn't even stepped a foot inside the house but she felt as if she was right next to her parents from the volume of their shouting. She was still stricken at the edge of the small porch from her brother and his suddenly hostile behavior. Aria had never remembered seeing that kind of fire in his eyes; the burning hatred in his expression as he stared her down.

Aria hesitantly pushed open the door little by little, desperately hoping her parents wouldn't notice her arrival.

"Ella! Come back here! We aren't done!" Her father boomed. Byron had never yelled like that, and he almost never yelled at all. But Aria could tell from his slightly slurred words that he was hammered, the usual since she had returned back home. Before Aria could even attempt to escape upstairs, Ella came storming into the front room, an exasperated look on her face. Her expression didn't change as she saw Aria fearfully cowering near the door.

Without a word to her daughter, Ella shoved open the door and left, slamming it in her wake. That only seemed to fuel the drunken, angry fire in Byron's heart as he came barreling down the hallway, nearly empty Jack Daniels bottle in his hand. It had been around a week that Aria had seen her father face to face. He either had his back turned to her, or avoided her completely. The circles under his eyes were almost as dark as her's were. His cheeks were shaded with a pinkish hue and unevenly covered in scratchy, grey hairs. His facial expression mirrored one of equal or greater rage to that of Ella's.

"You," He slurred, his grey-blue eyes fixing intensely on hers. He raised a shaking finger in Aria's direction and clutched the transparent bottle harder in his hand. "You're the reason this family fell apart. You're the reason your mother will barely look at me." His voice seemed to soften but his eyes still shown vengeance. Gulping, the drunken man smashed the whiskey bottle against the wall, sending shards of glass and drops of amber alcohol flying. Aria screeched and ducked for cover as she felt a sharp piece of glass scrape her cheek and arms.

Before she could register what was going on, Aria felt a strong tug on her jacket and soon saw that her father's face was inches from hers. Byron had her jacket in a death lock as he held his miniature daughter up in the air. Byron pressed the jagged spikes on the opposite side of the bottle against Aria's neck, just hard enough to pierce a bit of skin. Aria winced and quietly cried out as she felt the sharp glass dig into the sensitive skin of her neck. Byron breathed raggedly as he tried to keep his focus on his daughter.

"This is for all you've done to this family. It is a shame to have to call you my daughter." He took out the glass that had entered her skin and held the bottle up over his head, ready to shove it down into her body. Before he could the finish the violent act of stabbing his daughter, Aria instinctively slammed her knee into his groin. Byron groaned loudly and fell to the floor, dropped the remaining half of the bottle and sending more glass onto the ground. He desperately tried to grip Aria's waist to keep her from escaping, but she was too quick. She was already sprinting down the road by the time Byron could fully stand up.

Aria didn't know where she was going, but running till her sides ached just seemed like a natural thing now. Her mind still reeled from her father's drunken outburst and her whole family's hostility. She was still a criminal in their eyes, she always would be. As long as they knew she was guilty, there was no way her reputation could be clean. Her crimes were irreversible, the information of the things she did would forever be on resumes for jobs and her permanent records. She had basically ruined her life for good. Aria didn't blame everyone for being so harsh, though. She didn't deserve to leave that place. She didn't deserve to escape and be free after what she had done, the multiple acts she had committed.

A safe place to land finally came into Aria's mind as she sprinted down the roads of Rosewood. Even though she vowed to not drag this person into her problems, they made her feel safe, secure. The feeling she was given was ecstatic, like a drug. Even though it was dangerous, getting a sense of freedom back, she couldn't stop herself. Aria ran to the only place she knew she could be protected for a little while.

She sprinted to the familiar apartment complex. The one she had slept in and been nursed back to health in by her English teacher. He was a good guy. He didn't need to be wrapped up in her troubles, but she had no one else to run to. Once she had stopped in front of the door, she could feel the drops of blood and tears streaming down her face and neck. Aria hadn't even noticed she had been crying until she stopped in front of the apartment. Her mind constantly replayed the past few traumatic moments in her mind, blocking her from thinking about anything else. The sight of her own blood uneased her and she quickly wiped it off with her fingertips. She tried to calm down her breathing before knocking on Ezra Fitz's door. She lightly rapped on the old wood before stepping back, not knowing what he would do when he saw her.

Aria jumped from the intensity of which Ezra unlocked and swung open the door. There was a certain wave of something she'd never seen on his face before the moment she saw him. He quickly snarled a 'what?' before even fully focusing on who was on the other side of the door.

"Aria?" He said softer as soon as he saw her. He examined her from afar as he noticed her blotchy, tear stained face and slightly bloody cuts on the visible skin. The way he scared her, she looked like she was just about to bolt like a frightened kitten. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Of course she was hurt. She was currently bleeding from at least three different parts of her body. He held out his hand as a gesture to calm her on-edge nerves.

"I-I didn't know where else to go, I'm sorry." She whispered as she looked up to stare into his baby blue eyes, which were now filled with more concern than frustration. His expression eased even more at her words and he stepped aside to let her in.

"Please, let me help you with your cuts," he all but begged. The room was exactly like she remembered as she stepped in, with the same calming atmosphere and the same attractive, kind hearted English teacher. Ezra led her over to the bed to sit down and rummaged clumsily through his closet and bathroom cabinets to find bandages and antiseptic. He kept his eyes on the label of the bottle of rubbing alcohol as he came back over, not wanting to meet Aria's large, pain filled eyes.

"What happened, Aria? Did someone hurt you?" He was aching to know what had happened to her. She didn't seem too banged up, which relieved him, aside from the few tiny bleeding cuts, but she looked frightened out of her wits. Ezra soaked a part of a tissue with the alcohol and gently pushed back Aria's hair to gain full access to her neck. His hand brushed her face and shoulder and he swore he heard a slight, sharp intake of breath from her. His own heart hammered against his chest as he began to dab the product against her cuts to clean the wound.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." He murmured repeatedly as Aria winced and whimpered when the alcohol came in contact with her open cuts. He quickly place a bandage over her neck and repeated the acts on her arms and forehead. With them being in such close proximities, they could hear each others nervous breathing and sense the other person's uneasiness.

"Okay," Ezra breathed, backing away from Aria and sitting on the edge of the bed. "What happened? Why are you all cut up?" Aria gripped the soft comforter in between her fingers and focused on her dirtied up boots. Did she really want to discuss this with him? What would his reaction be to hearing about her suddenly abusive father? Aria didn't even know where to start. Let alone how to explain anything to this man; this man who she barely knew.

The only things she knew about the man sitting across from her was that he used to get drunk in college, and that he was off limits, romantically. Not that Aria wanted a boyfriend. Like every other form of happiness, she didn't deserve to get a fairy tale ending with someone who she loved. If she took away more than one persons chance at their own happy ending; why should she get hers?

"My dad, he- flew off the handle... Broken bottle..." She rambled distractedly. Aria made elaborate hand movements to demonstrate a stabbing to her neck. She didn't think she could say anymore than that without giving things away. But the message seemed to get across to Ezra from the shocked and horrified look on his face. His eyebrows were narrowed and his eyes showed concern and shock. His mouth was slightly agape as he tried to form the right words.

"Aria, has this ever happened before?" It seemed like an appropriate question. Had that abuse ever gone on before? Is that why she always looked so damaged?

"No. It was the first time he ever expressed violence towards me." She constantly kept her eyes on the hardware floor of his apartment, swaying her skinny legs absentmindedly. "But I deserved it." Ezra was now even more appalled. "He was right when he said I ruined everything. He should have done it."

"Done what, Aria?"

"Killed me." Her fingers grasped the blanket beneath her tighter and she met Ezra's gaze, her eyes ablaze with depression and woe. No one spoke after that. Ezra was at a complete loss for words after hearing her confession. Aria on the the other hand was shocked at what she blurted out; the regret was apparent on her paling face.

Ezra moved from his position on the end on the bed to next to Aria. It didn't seem ethical to be doing what he was, but that entire situation was messed up. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and sat against the dark walls of his apartment, holding her tightly to his chest. "No, Aria. Don't you ever think that."

She was surprised by his sudden affection, pulling her closer to him. It didn't feel forced, he gave her enough space to maneuver her way out if she felt suffocated, but held her tight enough to feel secure. After a while of their bodies so close, she rested her head against his sternum, listening to the loud beating of his heart. The only sounds surrounding them was their own breathing and the quiet sounds of birds squawking from outside.

She eventually tangled herself to him, curling her arms around his strong bicep and leaning in closer. She tried to fight back all the regret. As much as she tried to stay away from him, keep him out of her life and not put him in harms way, it was hard. She didn't want to hurt him; she did not want to see this perfect man become corrupt by her. But the feeling he gave her was so euphoric. If only there was a way to keep him completely oblivious and out of danger. But she was the danger; trouble lurked where ever she went. And the only way to keep him safe was to keep him away from her; she had to save him from herself.

Out of the blue, Ezra tilted Aria's chin to face him. Their faces were as close as before, but this time it wasn't so awkward. It didn't feel so alien to be in such close range to his lips. After a few moments of staring into each other's eyes, Ezra leaned down and pressed his soft lips against Aria's slightly chapped ones. Aria was surprised for the moment as she felt this older man's lips on hers. Soon, after gripping his arm a bit tighter and leaning into him deeper, Aria attempted to kiss him back. She hadn't kissed many boys even before or after the accident; she honestly didn't know what she was doing. Ezra slowly brought his hands down to Aria's waist to steady her. The kiss was electrifying for the both of them. The tension between them seemed to diminish with each second their lips were interconnected. The kiss only lasted about ten seconds before Ezra pulled back, suddenly distraught that his still reluctantly residing teenage hormones took the best of him.

"I am so sorry, Aria. I don't know why I did that." That was completely inappropriate on his part. Kissing her had been a mistake, even when it didn't feel like one, morally, it was. Even though for that few seconds it felt so right, they both knew they was horribly mistaken. Why did he have to be older, and her teacher? Why did she have to be so fucked up?

Aria bolted from his grasp, backing up against the nearest wall. She curled one hand into her hair while the other laid limply by her legs. "We can't do this. You could get fired, or worse." Her large hazel eyes fixed on the wood of his floors again. Ezra knew she was right. Of course they couldn't, but he wanted to. He cared way too damn much about this girl. After seeing her hurt like this, he couldn't let her slip through his fingers to get hurt again.

"I know."

"And you can't get involved with me in any way. Tears started to brim Aria's eyes. Too many emotions were hitting her at once; ricocheting and yelling in her mind. "Not just because of the law. I'm dangerous, Ezra. I don't want you getting sucked into my screwed up life and I can't see you get hurt." Ezra slowly got off the bed and sauntered over to her. He resisted the urge to grab her hand or rest his palm against her arm to calm her. She still looked panicked from what he did. Ezra was just plain confused. What did she mean that she was dangerous? She acted like skittish kitten around everyone. After no words came out of Ezra's mouth, Aria spoke up again.

"I have to go. It was a mistake coming here." She gave him one last broken look. Her words made him recoil a bit as if she had punched him. His heart ached for him to pull her back as she rushed to the door, but he had to respect her wishes.

He watched silently from his doorway as Aria hauled herself out of the apartment building, to wherever she planned to go. Even though it was out of his hands, he hoped and prayed she didn't get hurt again.

**Wow, I can't believe this is the eighth chapter. I know you all are aching to know what Aria did to end up in Ravenswood, and you _will_ find out within the next 4-5 chapter minimum. Okay, are you guys still interested in this story? Cause the first chapter got at least 12 reviews and now I'm getting 5 or less per chapter. Please, please continue to review because those fuel me to continue writing. If no one reads it, what's the purpose of writing it? Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter and stay tuned for the next!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys, sorry this update's a little late. I've been up to my eyeballs in test prep and studying for my state testing which is this Monday. I have barely any time for updating and writing in general. By the end of next week, things should be back to normal because testing will be over, but The next update after this may not be until Wednesday the earliest. Again, I'm so sorry and I hope you understand!**

She couldn't go back home. Her ballistic father would murder her the moment he had the chance; sober or not. Mike was probably still out vandalizing buildings or stealing whatever wasn't bolted down from stores. Her mother would still be out. At a motel or whatever, just to get away from Byron. She couldn't return home, it was too dangerous. After leaving Ezra's apartment after the kiss, she spent countless moments walking aimlessly, just hoping she'd find something.

It would have been a good time to just run away. Run away and never come back. She could start a new life and just begin again on a clean slate. No one in another state or even country would know what she did just by her face, right? Her family and 'friends' wouldn't miss her if she did. Hell, they'd probably throw a party hosted by her own father. Rosewood would once again be rid of the reason the town went to shit. Ever since news spread about Aria, the city had never been the same. It was more secretive and quiet than ever; trying to gain its reputation back as a prestigious and welcoming town. The welcome sign at the entrances to the town deemed as false truth.

Aria had decided, after what seemed like hours of walking and thinking, just to lay low that night. Doing something drastic like running away would require much more planning than she had the energy to. Aria finally found an old looking alley way between a jewelers and a karate dojo. It was ratty, but she was used to that. She had spent longer than she thought at Ezra's, it was darkening out. The moon was just slightly peeking out of some clouds off the horizon. The dark, navy blue sky was taking over and wiping away the dusk. Aria slunk down against the brick wall of the building behind her. She soon flopped against the dirt in defeat, dirtying her cheeks and clothes up.

She shifted on to her back and laid there for a while, watching the small twinkling stars reappear in the night. Watching the blinking airplanes fly across the sky that she used to believe were shooting stars as a child. She just laid there, counting the millions of stars that just existed like she did. With no real purpose but just to explode eventually. There are millions, billions, of people in the world just like the infinite amount of stars, losing one of those balls of burning matter didn't matter, did it? More would just come along to take its place.

The sound of a car tires screeching against the road and an engine running was heard in the distance. Aria noticed that a large black Escalade had pulled up in front of the alley way.

"Aria?" The voice from inside the car called. Aria whipped her head up from the ground and met eyes with Spencer Hastings, who had her head poking out from the driver's window of her car. "What are you doing?" Spencer opened the car door and climbed out of the large vehicle, walking up to Aria quickly. "Why are you all bandaged up and dirty?" Spencer licked the pad of her thumb and began smudging the patches of dirt from Aria's cheeks and examining the bandages with spots of blood able to be seen. It occurred to Aria that she felt more comfortable sitting in the lap of a stranger and telling him what happened than she did telling her old friend. Really showed how only a few years can change a person, or a relationship.

When Spencer didn't get an answer, besides Aria's eyes meeting her scratched up boots, she took Aria's hand began to drag her to the car. "In, I'm driving you home." Even though it didn't look like it was up for discussion, Aria refused to get in the car.

"I can't go home." Aria just looked like a sad little puppy that had been kicked too many times. The light of the moon shimmering overhead brought attention to the tracks of tears on her cheeks and under her dark, puffy eyes.

Spencer didn't dare ask why, all she did was hold Aria's hand as she jogged her to the passenger seat and all but forced her in. "If we're not going to yours, we're going to mine." She said as she closed the door with a loud slam. Spencer locked the car door as Aria tried to scramble out, a more fearful look on her face. She revved the engine as she got into her side and began the drive back to the Hastings' household.

The house was just as Aria had remembered it, standing tall in all it's glory. The hauntingly familiar barn in the backyard was still standing beautifully, now converted into a loft as Spencer said as she noticed Aria's staring. Spencer led Aria back to her room, where she gave her fresh clothing and set a place to sleep. The two girls awkwardly sat on Spencer's bed as Spencer brushed through Aria's knotty hair. The two girls did not utter a word to each other the entire time, both feeling the awkwardness of it all. It didn't feel like a regular sleepover that the two girls would have years ago. With gossip and doing each other's makeup while being inexperienced; leafing through trashy magazines like Cosmopolitan and prank calling department stores. Neither of them were talking and they had to be quiet, as to not bring Peter and Veronica's attention to them.

"Aria," Spencer said quietly. She placed the brush down and leaned her back against the table. "I know that you don't want to be friends. I got that from the way you ice everyone out during school. But here are some things that I need to clear up."

"There's nothing that you need to clear up. We both know the truth." Aria whispered defensively. She crawled to the end of the bed and hung her feet from the frame. "And anything related to that topic is off limits for conversation."

"Aria-"

"That's the end of it. We both know what I did. The whole town knows I'm a criminal. It's in print if you want to check my record. Anything else we need to establish?" Spencer has froze against the table. She was silent for a moment but still engaging in a heated stare down between her old friend.

"No, your right. Forget what I was about to say." She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and sauntered over to the bed. "Goodnight, Aria."

LINE

Aria remained nearly restless the entire night. Spencer laid a respectful amount if space away from Aria, which she was thankful for. But she was still facing her, her trap wide open and her eyes closed shut. The hours ticked by and Aria stayed lying straight ahead, staring out Spencer's unshaded window at the open night sky. She contemplated bolting from the house from out that same window, but decided against it. Things were so awkward, it just seemed like second nature to bolt from the scene.

She deeply questioned Spencer's acts of kindness that night. From picking her up, dusting her off and bringing her to the house without a second thought, why was she being so nice to her? After all of what Aria did, why was Spencer acting like she wanted to still be friends with her? It wasn't like her to not hold a grudge.

After what felt like an eternity of listening to Spencer's sleeping breaths, Aria let the tiredness in her body take over her. She fell silently against the pillows and slipped into a familiar state of unconsciousness.

Spencer had awoken it the early hours of the morning, not too long after Aria had fallen asleep. She observed the small girl's peaceful sleeping face and smiled lightly to herself. Even after going through hell, she still managed to look beautiful. Standing up quietly as to not wake her, Spencer walked to the bathroom to get ready for school. It was hard enough looking in the mirror everyday, pretending like the night two years ago didn't happen. The shame she felt hanging over her like a storm cloud. Now she had the girl in her bed sleeping like a baby. The night just seemed like how should be if it never happened. The sense of normality having Aria back in her room, having a 'sleepover' if that counted as one.

Spencer gently shook Aria awake and laid out some of her own clothes on the bed for her. Last night was the very least she could do for her. The girls stayed unspoken while they got ready in Spencer's room. Aria was extremely anxious about changing and insisted she dressed in the bathroom. They were no longer the friends they used to be, they both had to reminds themselves of that. The first time they spoke to each other or said something at all was when they went downstairs, where Mrs. Hastings sat drinking her coffee. The older woman's face showed shock as the two came downstairs and Aria's face filled with fear.

"Aria," She began. For an strict and undefeated lawyer, she was sure tongue tied now. "I had no idea you were back." Aria's face continued to lose color and she nodded weakly.

"Yeah, I'm back," She stammered. Spencer could see her visibly shaking and gripping the baggy jean pockets at her sides. There was a silence between the three before Spencer ushered her mother out of the room, mumbling something to her before returning back to her old friend.

"I'm sorry, I was under the impression that she had left for work." Aria just nodded again, returning to her mute stage. The whole rest of that morning, lasting about half an hour, constipated of head bobs for answers and unspoken awkward silenced before they had to go to school.

Aria's first class begrudgingly had to be English with Mr. Ezra Fitz. It also had to include her three ex best friends into the mix, which made it all the more unsatisfactory. Ezra seemed tense when Aria came in, unshaven and tired looking. He taught class like normal, but things seemed off. He seemed distracted, constantly trailing off or staring at something in the back and totally losing focus. It was apparent that everyone was taking notice of this. Whispers from various students filled the room as he wrote assignments on the board and rambled about Gatsby. Ezra kept sneaking glances at Aria, his mouth gaping like a guppie as he spoke and hoping no one would catch on to his staring.

When the bell finally rung, signaling their rotation, Ezra half assed a farewell to his students and walked to his desk. Where he buried his head in his hands and stared down at the leather covering on his desk.

Aria watched from the exit of his classroom as he ran his fingers through his dark brown curls angrily and shot up to prepare for his next class. Their eyes met for a split second as he stood up before Aria rushed out of the room. The last thing she would let herself do was fall deeper in those baby blue eyes.

**Wow! I had nearly 15 reviews on just the last chapter! Please keep that up because it really fuels me to write more even if my schedule is off the walls! Thank you guys so much for being the best readers! **


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm actually proud of myself for getting this done today. I was stuck on this chapter because I had a plan for it, but I noticed some major flaws so I had to change it up. Again, I'm sorry for the long delay, but at least it's done today! Enjoy!**

Aria sat in Dr. Anne Sullivan's office, anxiously tapping her foot on the carpeted floors. She wholeheartedly regretted taking up her mothers offer to go to this therapist. It wasn't just that she thought she couldn't be helped, she didn't want to be helped. She had seen a therapist before. The one in the Ravenswood asylum. But she'd hardly call him a real therapist. He was harsh, horrendously religious, and judgmental, he one of the many people that were unfazed by the cruel conditions of the asylum. Aria would be forced to talk to him, as would everyone. He would say that the forgiveness of The Lord would cleanse their sins and set them free of the shackles of guilt. Aria believed it was bullshit. It wouldn't help, nothing he said ever worked. Even so, would be a lie to say that Aria didn't try praying forgiveness after betraying Elliot. After sentencing him to death and after she and him killed those two inmates by smashing their heads. That place changed her, it corrupted her mind and cleared out any purity. Instead of helping her realize her mistakes, it just made her make more.

She didn't deserve to live without a care like she did before the accident. She didn't deserve to be happy again after she took the lives of those people. Aria denied the right to believe she should be able to live.

Dr. Sullivan sat across from Aria in her large leather chair, clipboard and pen in hand. She tried, ineffectively, to pry open Aria and get her to talk. It was only there second session, but she was determined to get something out of her. Alas, her patient was tight lipped and stubborn. She had the right to anyway. It wasn't like Dr. Sullivan would force her into saying anything she didn't want to, that wasn't allowed in her position.

The seconds and minutes ticked by as Dr. Sullivan tried to talk to Aria. She hoped to hinder a part of her patient that would make her want to talk. But the walls around Aria only seemed to become higher. She would make up mundane excuses to her therapists questions or simply say she didn't want to talk about it. That continued for half an hour between silences and the sound of a pen gliding roughly across a clipboard.

Aria continued to stare at the potted plants that were perched on shelves next to Dr. Sullivan's head. Looking out the large window at the city was also used to pass the time.

"Aria," Dr. Sullivan said. Aria picked her head up from the ground to meet the doctor's steely eyes with her own. "It seems that are time is up, but there's something I need to say." Aria plainly nodded and started to stand up as Anne did. "I noticed you look thinner and more tired than when we last met, and I'm concerned. Next time we see each other, I want to see an improvement in those areas. Even in the slightest bit." She didn't wait for Aria's response and turned to lead her back into the waiting room. Ella sat in the room, leafing through a trashy magazine with a still sullen face.

The ride to Ella's apartment was silent. She had rented one after her unofficial divorce a few months after Aria left for Ravenswood and currently Mike and Aria were also living there, leaving there estranged father on his own. It was a miracle he was still employed by Hollis.

Mike was still having run in's with the cops for vandalism and break ins. The police station has become accustomed to taking Mike Montgomery into custody every so often for whatever new crime he had committed. And he was not one bit happy to see that Aria had taken shelter in Ella's tiny space.

Mike scoffed as Aria entered the apartment with an emotionless Ella and went to his 'room' with a slam to the door. Ella locked the door behind her and went to the tiny kitchen to retrieve a bottle of red wine from the cabinet. She leaned on the counter, staring straight at Aria with a glass filled to the brim in her hand.

"There was a time when this family was whole. When we weren't fighting silent battles." She muttered, her darker hazel piercing her daughter's. Her words hung in the air, creating a serious aura.

"I'm sorry, Mom." Aria whispered barely above the volume of audible, but Ella seemed to get it as she placed the glass down and walked over to her tiny daughter. They were both the same five foot two stature, but Ella was wearing heeled boots, giving her a bit of height. She wrapped her arms around Aria and held their heads against each other.

"It's not entirely your fault. So don't take all the guilt and blame. We all played a part in this. Mike for going into crime, your father for cheating and drinking heavily, you doing... You know. And me not doing anything to stop it. I let you go as I did Mike and Byron, but you seem to be the only one willing to forgive me a bit." Ella's voice always seemed to strike a chord with Aria. Her voice was always soothing and soft. It made her feel like a little girl again, trapped safely in her mother's embrace as she spoke to her.

It shocked Aria a bit at how understanding Ella was now. It was a wonderful feeling to just be accepted by her mother. It was now one less person she had to be stared at. Honestly, it had been awhile since she last smiled for real, but now she couldn't stop. Aria wrapped her stringy arms around her parent and hugged her close, resting her head in the crook of her neck. "I love you, Mom." She whispered, the words coming out croaky.

"I love you too, Aria."

Ezra sat on his couch nursing a tumbler of amber colored scotch. It was a nasty habit, binge drinking, but he did it anyway. The past few days had been a wreck. He could not stop thinking about Aria and hating the person he was for doing so. She was like an infection. It was horrible and crazy to think that she would love him back. He hated himself for letting his schoolboy crush get this far. But she was all he ever thought about since that kiss. Those moments that she laid in his lap, for once looking so relaxed while simultaneously wrecked. It made his heart beat like crazy knowing he was capable of that. Ezra knew that her home life wasn't the best after she ran for shelter in his apartment, but he was just glad that he lived in a place that she could run too.

Ezra could not remember a time where he cared about a person more than he did now. He wasn't one for much sentiment anymore when it came to people. It felt odd to have an obsession like this over someone like her. It was crazy, he knew it, but he loved it. He loved her.

All Ezra wanted to do was show her out of the pain and suffering she felt. He noticed her decrease in weight and was startled in her lightness when she was curled up on him. He could tell by the lack of optimistic emotion in her eyes that she was not doing well and he continued to notice more scar like lines covering her arms, though she did an impressive job hiding them.

Ezra was aching to know more, absorb as much information about her and just love her. He wanted nothing more than to just care for her and show her that someone loves her. Although it was illegal for him to do just about everything he wanted to do with her, none of it included sex, part of him just didn't give a shit. His heart wanted what it wanted. The only thing that would get him to stop is if she told him no. Under no circumstances would be pressure her or put her in a position that made her uncomfortable. Love is a two way street.

Unfortunately for him, Hardy had made his way into Ezra's apartment before he had the chance to swallow his first sip of whiskey. He was currently sitting in the seat across from Ezra, watching his own friend drink up his sorrows when he didn't even know what his problem was. Hardy was drinking too. Honestly, when wasn't he? Just not as heavily as Ezra.

"Okay dude, what the hell is your problem." Hardy said as he watched Ezra pour his third glass. "I haven't seen you drink so much since college." Ezra didn't answer, instead just emptied more alcohol into his stomach. Hardy asked again and again, only to be met with Ezra's eyes focused on the turned off television screen. After growing too impatient, he ripped the glass from Ezra's hand and forced him to look on his direction. "Answer me. I know you can hear me."

Ezra stared him down before relenting and answering him, knowing he was in for a good half hour of lecturing. "The girl in my class, we kissed."

Hardy's eyes shut and stayed shut for a while. His teeth bared in a grim, annoyed expression. When his dark brown eyes opened, they stared straight at him and shook his head. "What the hell, Ezra. It's like everything I say goes in one ear and out the other with you!" Ezra just rolled his eyes and tried to get up, but nearly tripped as the alcohol started to take effect on his motor skills.

"Ezra, listen to me, I'm all for going after younger women but you're basically digging your grave. You can't be with this girl, ever. I can already tell that she is danger for you and your job. If the school board found out about your little rendezvous, you'll be finding yourself on the unemployment line." Ezra continued to say nothing as he stood up. He just let Hardy ramble about what he thought was right. Yes, he could get fired if people found out. He could get his teachers license revoked for a while. He could even go to jail, but that was okay, maybe not the jail part, but it was okay. She was almost 18. There were other places he could work. If she wanted to, they could do it, they could be together. But again, he'd never force her into anything. It wouldn't be easy to get over her, she was a mystery, but just having that note deep in his mind that she didn't want to be with him would be enough to know he would have to.

"People will see you as a pervert if this thing gets out. You are obsessed with an underage girl you just want to fuck!" No, Hardy was wrong. It wasn't just a sexual lust he felt for her. It was a real love that he wanted to give her. He wanted to take her to dinner and go to the cinema or do whatever she wanted to. All his tainted heart wanted was to love.

"Ezra? What is this girls name?" Hardy tried impatiently to get a response out of him.

"No, I'm not giving you her name." He leaned his palms on the counter and held gazes with his college buddy.

"Give me her name or I'll have to find out myself." Ezra knew his friend was serious, he was an expert in doing 'background checks' on people. Namely potential bachelorettes he had his eyes on.

"No, you have to leave."

"Ezra-"

"No, Hardy. Leave." Ezra sternly pointed at the door as he eyes burned with a slightly drunken rage. Nothing Hardy would say would faze his affection for Aria. Ezra knew that this obsession scared himself. It was sure to sound alarms off in other people's heads too. He didn't think he was capable of caring about someone so much since the multiple women who left his life and after his vow to not love again.

"Are you listening to yourself, Ezra! You are insane to think that you can actually have a relationship with a teenage girl." Ezra went back to his mute state and continued to point at the door. "I'm only trying to do what's best for you." Hardy muttered as he walked out the door in defeat, leaving Ezra alone with his alcohol and hopeless dreaming.

**Happy Mother's Day guys! My day has been going... fantastic. I got a longboard yesterday and I was riding today. Long story short, I was turning, hit a pot hole and fell. I got a nasty scrape on the side of my knee and it hurts like hell :(. Well, it's _bound_ to happen. Hope you guys have a better day than I am and don't forget to review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi guys! Sorta quick update, yay! Well, I'm home from school because of my injured leg. it hurts so much I can barely move the leg T.T. Because of that I was able to type this faster and be able to write this. I know it's a little shorter than usual but the next chapter will be a lot longer. I took _A LOT _of risks with this chapter so please bear with me if it's horrible.**

_"The loneliest moment in someone's life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly."_ It was a quote that Aria could very well express and be able to relate to. It was also one of the quotes that Ezra had written on the board for the class to discuss.

Aria, along with the rest of the students in her period, watched Ezra attentively as he taught. But like everyday since that damned kiss, he had been jittery with his words an actions; today more than before. She caught him glancing at the clock a few times during the hour and fidgeting when seated. He had regained his composure though. And was no longer dazing off and losing focus. He seemed to now be constantly on alert.

As the bell rung, he cleared his throat and dismissed his pupils. His eyes seemed to dart around the room as his hands folded together. "Miss Montgomery, can I have a moment of your time?" Everyone seemed to stop and stare at her before going on their usual business, still a bit suspicious to what might be happening after they all left. Aria observed that Ezra's Adam's apple bobbed a bit as she came closer. She was scared too, it was the closest she had been with him since she was in his apartment. She couldn't help but feel bad when she ran out of the building that night, seeing his rejected expression as she sprinted like a frightened kitten.

"I want to say this in the most non-creepy way as possible. I just really need to get this off my chest so we can both move on." Ezra didn't dare make eye contact with Aria. His baby blues stayed fixed on the classroom's ceiling. His hands often ran through his hair and he took pauses as he spoke. "I can't stop thinking about you, about the kiss we had. About that night where you came to me, scared and confused. Even before that day, I felt an attraction towards you and it scared me. I know that it can only lead to no good for both of us if I continue this odd behavior. And I don't want to see to hurt more because of what might happen if I get out of control," He said. Ezra took a large breath, a small weight was lifted off of his shoulders after he finished, but the underlying stress of her still being in front of him, witnessing and hanging onto his every word was present.

"I know I could be arrested and lose my job for you being in my apartment. And I know I'm not being the most professional person by telling you the things that I am." Ezra confessed. Their eyes remained unconnected, but Ezra's hands continued to awkwardly twist his tie in between his fingers.

"I think we're far past the line of professionalism." Aria whispered, smiling meekly. Ezra smiled along and nodded ruefully.

"Yes, we are." Ezra took a deep breath before continuing. "Aria, I don't really know what to think about my feelings towards you. But I just need you to tell me that you don't want to be with me. That's all I need. It hurts me, but it's the only way I'll be able to get you off my mind and be able to leave you alone."

"What if I feel them too?" The words left Aria's mouth before she was able to think them. It was true that she had feelings towards this man, but how could she allow herself to fall in love with him? He deserved better than her. He didn't deserve a vicious seventeen year old with no chance at a real, happy life. Her words apparently shocked Ezra too. His eyes bugged a bit and he swallowed harshly. That was the wrong thing to say, but she couldn't take them back now. It was strange how the room fell silent for those few moments.

Before any of them could even think straight again, Ezra leaned down and pressed his lips softly against Aria's. His hands very gently grazing her soft, pink cheeks. Aria was fazed for a moment, but quickly fell under his spell and kissed back, gripping his muscular shoulder lightly. After a few seconds, Ezra pulled back, clearly shocked and ashamed again at what his foolish impulses made him do.

"Aria, I am so-" He couldn't even finish his sentence when Aria feverishly crashed her lips against his once more, seeking the warmth that radiated from his face. It was Ezra's turn to be taken aback by the sudden kiss and be stunned before returning the favor.

All of the morals Aria had set for herself when she escaped Ravenswood were thrown into the wind. All the promises that she had made to herself, saying she would never fall deeper into her affection she felt for this man, saying that she would not let herself corrupt his life like she did everyone else she came in contact with. He was so passionate, he was nervous talking to her in those moments. Not because he was afraid of what she did, he didn't even know. But because it scared him so much that he wanted something that could end up being so toxic.

They both pulled back and continued to hold onto each other. They stood in silence and their eyes remained closed. Ezra pulled back further and stood up straighter, glancing outside the window. "We can't do this here." He whispered. Aria nodded and squeezed his muscular arm again before breaking all contact with him and scrambling to grab her books.

"Aria?" Ezra shoved his hands into his tan dress pants pockets. "I'm sure that we're both confused about where this leaves us. If you could stop by my apartment so we can talk things out in a bit more comfortable environment. I-I'm available all day, okay?"

Aria nodded distractedly, her mind was still whirring about what went on the past few moments. The overwhelming, feuding sides of her mind fought for what they thought she deserved. Did she deserve that sliver of happiness Ezra was willing to give her? Or did she not suffer enough in Ravenswood? Nonetheless, she agreed to talk about things with Ezra, it might give her a more clear perspective of some things, hopefully.

* * *

Aria was currently seated on Ezra's leather couch, watching him fix their cups of tea. She wanted this relationship as much as she didn't. So many things could happen if they agreed to do this. Same would happen if they agreed to not. But it all revolved around whether or not Ezra knew the truth. The reality of what happened and who that made her. Aria swore to herself that he would never know, but she was only using him because of that. He became a safe haven for her because he didn't know, his apartment was a non-judgmental space for her.

Aria was unsure of his reaction, but if it meant either saving him or being able to live with one less thing to be guilty about, she'd have to take the risk.

Ezra sat down on the couch beside her, the couch shifting under his weight. He handed Aria the warm cup and stared around his apartment. "I don't know what to say, honestly. For once in my life, I'm at a loss of words." He said, staring straight at the dark blue walls. "I'm not sure what you hope to happen or if we're even on the same page when it comes to this, but I want you to know that this is your decision, I can't and will never force you into doing anything."

"I know you wouldn't." Aria whispered, taking a sip of her hot drink. Ezra observed how her pupils had become bigger in his dim apartment. The darkness in her eyes bled over the gorgeous ring of hazel, swallowing it all up. Her eyes still shimmered with nothing, like the first time that he had noticed her grim demeanor. He loved something so much different than anything else he had ever loved. All the other past women he had a relationship with were the wealthy daughters of other rich families or girls he thought would work out, despite his mother's constant complaining. But again, she was right and he was wrong. All of his relationships, 11 in counting, all ended in him heartbroken. He had constantly fallen foolishly in love with such one dimensional women. He felt Aria was so much more than that.

Aria wasn't afraid of him for being so upfront about this. She wanted this as much as he did.

She would be passing the point of no return if she told him the truth. He would be heartbroken again, but it was what was right. He couldn't love a person who could end up destroying him, possibly literally. She definitely had the potential to.

"Ezra, there's something that I need to tell you. You might want to put down your cup." Ezra stared at we incredulously, but complied. He folded his hands in his lap and turned his body to face her. He waited in silence before she continued. "You know I was detained, but you don't know why." Ezra shook his head and he started to grow a little nervous as she did. If the rest of the town knew, why couldn't he? He deserved to know why she was such a train wreck.

This was it, right? This was the moment that would either make them or break them. Aria was nearly certain that he'd run for the hills, but it was the right thing to do. If they were to have a relationship of whatever form, she would be living a lie with him. The secret was something that would ultimately change the way he thought about her entirely. It would only make her more guilty if she didn't. He deserved to know the truth.

"I was arrested because I'm a murderer."

**You will find more in depth about what really happened _NEXT CHAPTER._ I know, I'm horrible for leaving a cliff hanger, but what's a good story without one? Next chapter will sort of be Aria telling Ezra what happens and flashbacks will be included as much as possible. I can promise you that it will be good. Until next time! Don't forget to review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay, I know I said there would be flashbacks in this chapter, but there's not. I decided against it mid-way through writing it. Anyway, this builds off the cliffhanger from last chapter and I think you all will enjoy it! Please review! They always help me write faster and give me more motivation! I hope you enjoy this installment! **

Ezra's mouth opened and closed wordlessly as his eyebrows furrowed. Just those few spoken words rendered him speechless. He honestly didn't believe that the petite girl in front of him was a murderer like she implied.

Aria was surprised he didn't bolt right then and there, or even slightly inch away from her. He just sat there, his eyes wide and his palms pressed against the black leather as if he was about to break into a run. Aria looked down and nodded as if to silently answer his question as to whether or not this was some sick joke. "It was more than one person. I'm responsible for the death of more than one person." Aria said, testing out the statement.

Ezra, again, tried to form some sort of response, but ended up again with nothing. He still could not believe what he was hearing. Aria shuffled her feet, knowing there was no going back from here. He knew; he now knew more than everyone in Rosewood. The people of the town only knew about her publicized killing. Of course, no one acknowledged the deaths of Elliot and the unidentified inmates she was responsible for.

_"Careful Aria, drink too much and you'll tell us all your secrets."_

"You may have heard of her... Alison DiLaurentis." Saying her name sent a jolt of guilt through her. She hadn't heard or seen her name anywhere, as she was glad she hadn't up until now. Her name stung, leaving a bad taste in her mouth as she repeated in under her breath. "The night was fuzzy, it still is in my mind. We were drinking. Spencer, Emily, and Hanna were there too. But that was the night that she died. I beat her with a shovel and... buried her; dead or alive I'm not sure. She's dead now." Her sentences were choppy and nervously spoken. Ezra sensed her uneasiness about the topic.

_"Friends share secrets. That's what keeps us close."_

He had remembered hearing the name Alison DiLaurentis before through people. He had seen her face in the papers and old missing person signs that still covered the city. But he couldn't fathom the idea of the innocent looking girl in front of him was capable of the murder that had the whole town cringing just hearing her name.

"I have to tell you. I didn't want to keep using you as a safe place to run to when things got hard. You were the only person in the town who didn't know, and I wanted to keep it that way for my own selfish reasons." Aria inched away from Ezra, feeling the heat of his stare even when she wasn't even looking at him.

"Who were the other people?" Ezra finally said. He sat up straighter and took a deep breath, knowing he was in for something.

Aria forced back tears at the mention of the other people she was responsible for. She had already hit rock bottom with him. She could tell that he was terrified of her now. So why not just rip the bandage off and spill everything? It's not like things could get any worse when it came to this. "I was sent to an asylum."

"Do those even exist anymore?" Ezra asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, you just don't hear about them cause they're a living hell house," Aria snapped. She couldn't explain the feeling of emptying her soul out to someone who barely knew her. Or why she could only speak about this to her English teacher and not her therapist who wanted desperately to help her. "I met a guy in the asylum. I mean, we didn't date, but he was the only person I ever really talked to beside myself. He killed his siblings out of sudden hysteria and was sent to the place like I was. We hatched a plan about a year and a half after I was admitted. You can't exactly keep track of the months or years in there, I really am just assuming. I did the cliché thing that they do in horror movies or just movies in general and tallied up my walls with each passing day." It made Aria crack a small crooked smile. Aria's thoughts popped from one thing to another and jumbled together to create a messed up picture for Ezra. She glanced down at her fingernails and brushed the pad of her thumb against the stubby nails.

"Back to the plan, Elliot had this brilliant escape idea. Unfortunately, they tore out his vocal cords a few weeks before we were able to actually go through with our escape, so we had to resort to hand gestures to communicate. Unfortunately, like his previous plots, it failed. We ended up killing two other inmates for no reason, and I betrayed him. Instead of going with him, I ran away and left him for death. He was killed later that day by electrocution and I was punished for attempting to escape by the same method of torture, but less severe, of course." Aria swallowed a lump that was forming in her throat. With each word, it became harder to speak as the memories all hit her at once. "I can't even describe to you how horrible it was to think about the fact that I sat in the same chair, receiving the same form of torture, as he did. His heart stopped and he died in that very chair I sat in each time I was punished like that." After a pregnant silence, as she let that sink into Ezra's mind, she continued.

"Everyone there just saw us as sacks of flesh. We weren't real people, just things they could use for their twisted human experiments and torture." With a few moments that, Aria pulled off her shirt, revealing the rows of slowly healing stitches and scars that marred her chest and abdominal regions. She honestly didn't care that he stared at the part of her body. It was nearly every day back then that she was forced to strip down in front of men significantly older than she was and be stared at and literally ripped open under a burning bright light.

Ezra's pointer finger gently traced each healing line. He was careful not to press too hard or scare Aria by touching her somewhere that would upset her. Aria tried her hardest to hold back tears. She clutched her shirt tightly in her hands as Ezra's finger glided around her body. She didn't mind him touching her, it was just seeing his horrified expression and reliving every memory at once that had sparked the tears in her eyes.

"But you can't say I didn't deserve this." Aria said, the twisted smile tugging at the corners of her lips once more. She smiled again to further help push back the tears. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of this man. "I took away their chances at life. This is the very least I deserve. Like I've told you before, I don't hold the right to live."

"Aria, no you don't. No one ever deserves that."

The smile faded and she looked up from her scarred mid-section. "You're right, no one does. But that didn't stop me from killing those people, did it?" Aria slipped the shirt over her head again and covered her body before Ezra had the chance to speak.

"You nearly let a criminal escape, Aria. You did the right thing." Ezra tried to reason with her, placing his hand onto hers, but she did not seem to be having it.

"I did the right thing?! You're telling me that killing someone was 'doing the right thing?'" She said, suddenly shocked and appalled that he would say such a thing. "I let myself escape, I'm a criminal, don't you get it?" Aria's entire body went rigid and she felt those damned tears coming back once more. She shot up from the couch and forcefully ripped her hand from under Ezra's. "You can't be with me, ever. I'll only ruin you." Something in her mind told her to bolt. It was what she always did, right? But her body seemed frozen in place under the intensity of his stare.

Ezra was again shocked wordless after hearing almost the same exact words that Hardy spoke not 48 hours ago. Only then did he realize how screwed up this situation had become. Everything that his friend had said to him while he was only half listening was right. But even if this girl was trouble, even if she had a lot of skeletons in her closet, she was human. She wasn't heartless or unemotional to the fact that she caused the deaths, even to those who might have deserved it. She denied herself basic needs and felt the need to end her own life because of it. She had a conscience and felt horribly guilty over what she had done, even confused as to why. He had realized that Aria Montgomery was human, just like everyone else. She had made some mistakes, big ones, but she was only human. He had placed her on this pedestal and only saw her as this interesting, broken, yet beautiful girl. The only thing was, he knew absolutely nothing about her.

"Aria-"

"I'm insane, Ezra. You can't fall in love with me." The silence in the apartment following her statement urged her further to just run. Going to his apartment was a horrible idea. So, breaking into a sudden sprint, Aria ran out of Ezra's apartment, again.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, her phone blared in her pocket. Aria froze in place and her heart sunk to her stomach at the thought of who it could be. She was hesitant as she reached into her jeans pocket and retrieved her cell phone, holding as if it was radioactive. She opened the message and her heart only seemed to sink deeper.

_You think you have everything figured out about that night don't you, little miss Aria? How about asking Spencer to fill in the rest of the cracks? -A_

* * *

Aria read the text from the mysterious sender over and over before giving up and slamming it down on her night table. For possibly the hundredth time that night and the first time in what seemed like forever Aria tried to force herself to remember. She tried to replay the whole night of Alison's death in her mind. Only the things she could remember appeared in her mind. The memories were scattered and blurred. She sound of metal colliding with bone was the only part of her mind that was clear.

A faint, continuous buzzing was also heard with each memory she remembered. She didn't know why. It remained there no matter how hard she tried to push it out of her mind. Aria couldn't remember a single thing other than what she remembered back in the asylum. The day that everything came back in a flooding and the day she attempted suicide in there. It was the day after she was given the electroshock therapy for the third time since she'd been admitted. The sudden influx of memories and the never ending sound of the shovel was overwhelming her. She truly believed then that she was insane.

What would Spencer have known? Why not the other girls? Yes, Spencer was there the night that Aria killed Ali. But so were Emily and Hanna. Was she behind her? Did Spencer follow her highly intoxicated friend and watched as she beat Ali with a shovel? Aria contemplated calling Spencer, telling her about this person taunting her and ask her what she knew about that night. But she didn't. Why should she listen to this anonymous person?

This day was some of the worst in her life. The fear and emotional pain of the day was so much. Her safe haven now was afraid of her. She had no where to run to now. Ezra was no longer a person she could instinctively go to. As much as she wanted to be in love with him, they couldn't. No student teacher relationship would ever work out. No matter how hard they tried to hide it, both of them would be lying to everyone and he'd be in love with a criminal. It was a possibility that one day she would snap again and he'd end up with the same fate as Alison did. Laying under the gleaming moonlight, far from conscious, with a bleeding head. She couldn't let that happen. Either way, telling him was the right thing to do. Since day one, all she wanted to do was keep him safe from herself. And now, Ezra Fitz was able to see Aria in an entirely new light.

**I wanted them to have a relationship. I wanted there to be a bit more romance, but like the flashbacks, I decided against it. Maybe there will be in the future... maybe not. You'll have to wait and see. I hope you all loved this chapter and please leave a review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Yes, yes, I know I am a horrible person for being so slow. My writers block and just plain procrastination was a problem this whole week, but I made it! Yay!**

**Let me warn you please about this chapter. I know this entire story is dark, but I'm just giving y'all a heads up that this is a ****_TRIGGER WARNING at the end of the chapter._****Just letting you guys know. Enjoy! **

It was the reason that Aria had lowered her expectations on everything when first arriving in Rosewood. Finding Ezra, someone oblivious to her more dangerous side, had been something a little positive, but she knew it would never last. In the words of Robert Frost, "Nothing gold can stay." And Ezra was something that she had to let go, she couldn't let him become attached to her.

In a single instant, one's life could come crashing down. One wrong choice that they make could mean detrimental damage for them and everyone around them. Like taking a turn onto a street, seemingly innocent as you go along your way, and you crash into someone who had no common sense to stop before the octagonal red sign. Or drinking a little too much and having a little too much fun with your friends, and then one of then ends up dead. With their blood upon your hands and the sounds of them imprinted into your mind.

Aria sat at the cluttered desk in her room, tapping her pencil impatiently against the wooden desk. The only words she had written for her English essay on A Midsummer Night's Dream had been her name. It wasn't easy for Aria to write the damned thousand word essay when all that was at the front of her mind was her English teacher trying to tell her she was innocent. She tried to wrap her brain around the fact that he was so infatuated with her, that he tried to deny her faults. They didn't directly discuss the Alison situation besides her telling him, but he tried to fight with her on Elliot, a topic still as sore as the day it happened.

It had been a two days since the afternoon in his apartment. It had started with two people, with both their minds clouded with confusion. And it ended with no real resolution for the both of them, only more scattered thoughts and uncertainty. Aria hadn't gone to school the day after that, but was able to get her missed work thanks to an awfully shaky and nervous Spencer Hastings that appeared on her doorstep for less than a minute to give her the work. Ella had grown worried, but Aria had told her she just didn't feel well. Telling her mother that her English teacher had a crush on her would probably not go over so well.

The text from the ever so elusive 'A' that mentioned Spencer was also something that piqued Aria's curiosity. She had placed her phone deep inside her night stand drawer, not wanting to read any A texts if they were to come. It still hurt her brain to try and remember things from the night Ali died. No more memories were given to her. No more pieces of the godforsaken puzzle in her mind were put together.

Aria knew she would have to face Ezra the next day at school. Maybe not by talking to him, but certainly being forced to sit in his presence for an hour as he spoke about literature was enough. He would be looking at her differently now. He knew everything she knew about the night Alison died. And about the asylum; something Spencer and the girls didn't know.

Glancing at the blank lined paper one last time, Aria slammed her notebook close and stood up from her desk, tired of thinking about everything. It was still early in the afternoon, but what harm would it do if she took a nap? She could think later.

* * *

Aria stood in front of her locker, the sound of high school chatter and footsteps in the hallway flooding through. She placed her morning books into the incredibly tiny locker and shut it with a huff. The day had not been very grand for her. Ezra's shifty stares every time they passed in the hallway had made her uncomfortable, and of course everyone else avoided her like the plague.

She began to speed-walk to the ladies room, passing people in an obvious hurry as she saw Ezra rounding the corner nearest to her locker. He didn't look like he wanted to talk to her, with his coffee mug in one hand and lesson plans in the other, but she wanted as much space from him as she could possibly get.

As the door was pushed open a fraction of an inch, Aria heard familiar voices talking rather loudly.

_"That isn't just something that you spring on someone, Hanna."_ It sounded like Spencer.

_"You think I don't know that? The longer you wait, Spencer, the worse it's going to get and you know that."_ Hanna hissed, her voice seething with anger. Aria heard the sound of heels clacking on tiles and before she could bolt, the door had swung open and Hanna nearly ran Aria over. The blonde froze in place, half not expecting the petite brunette to be there and the other half looked a bit triumphant. Spencer on the other hand, standing in the corner of the bathroom, looked shell-shocked and physically worse than when Aria had last seen her.

Seeing Aria, Spencer pushed past both of them and darted down the hallway to who knows where, leaving the two girls to stare at each other confusedly.

The last bell broke their awkward gazes and signaled everyone still lingering in the hallways to disperse into their respective classrooms. Aria internally shivered at the thought that this period was Ezra's period. Thankfully, she had finished her essay, even if it wasn't the best. At least she didn't have to face the signature disappointed look every single teacher gave when a student didn't have his or her work. God did she hate that, especially from Ezra.

She didn't make any eye contact or even look in his direction as shuffled into class and sat in her seat, taking out her books and half assed essay. She prayed that this period would go faster than the ones days before.

Ezra taught the way he did almost everyday, but now more agitated and annoyed. Snapping at the trouble making teens who he'd usually ignore or pass off with a warning and watching the class, though mainly Aria, with a steely glare. It made everyone slink into their seats and not utter a word in his presence. It was very out of character for him, but like everything that happened, Aria blamed herself.

Once the bell rang, making everyone nearly scramble for the doorway, Ezra's eyes were practically glued on Aria's. His icy stare still present, but a hint of longing now resided in them. He had bottled up all the emotions from her bursting out of his apartment out of fear and cowardice. She had shattered his heart by filling him with all these stories tainting his once perfect and innocent vision of her. He had placed her on this pedestal like a prized possession, never to be touched but just merely admired. He had opened a whole can of worms by getting to close to her; exactly the opposite of what Aria wanted.

She quickly collected her books into her arms and walked with her head down the ground out of his classroom, leaving him with no time to call her back. As much as she wanted him to catch her as she fell deeper and deeper into his state of numbness, it was now that she had to gain as much space from him as possible.

* * *

She was nothing and she knew it. She was a waste of space ready to be filled after she was gone by someone who would actually do good for the world instead of harm.

Aria stood in her bathroom, alone of course. As foolish and cowardly as it sounded, razor blades from her old eyeliner sharpener in her hand. She had done this before, only it was in a dark cell and she was using her long sharpened fingernails rather than blades. She couldn't see herself then, but standing in front of the mirror, under the bright florescent lights, she could see herself perfectly fine.

The Aria Montgomery four to five years ago wouldn't even think about doing something like this. You always hear people say that suicide is selfish, it never fixes anything and only hurts the people around you. Well, Aria could not think of one damn person who would be negatively effected by her leaving the Earth and going to whatever layer of Hell she would be sentenced to. Nor would she really miss being on the planet, being alive. She was just a disease. She destroyed everything she touched.

She had used Ezra and made him fall in love with her. She was now added to the list of girls who had broken his heart.

She had ruined her family. Her dad with his obsession with alcohol and smoking. He was now living with his damned mistress. Mike, her own brother who she had driven to now having a police record, much like hers, but less severe. At least he wasn't accounted for murder. And Ella, the poor woman who had tried her hardest to keep everyone together, but ultimately failed. Aria had destroyed her family, there was nothing left but fragments. Family pictures that remained hung on the walls held memories that lasted forever, unlike the actual family inside them.

Her old friends had also been hit from the ticking time bomb of a girl that Aria was. Spencer now seemed like she had adrenaline running through her veins constantly due to her hyper alert and jittery attitude. Emily was temperamental and as Aria had seen from her lonely lunch table, prone to snapping. Hanna seemed more or less the same, but seemed to have an identity shock from the ring leader of the group now being non existent, and her best friends were now changed.

Aria had come to the final conclusion that she had no reason for living. No amount of therapist sessions would fill in the gaping void in her mind. The constant guilt ate her alive. This was it. It was all about to end. It was a slow and painful way. The way things should end for her. Slowing losing blood and feeling the dizziness of it taking effect until finally there had been too much loss and there was no more pain. Then it was all over.

She could have gone in many directions with this. There could have been quicker and easier ways to get the job done. Plugged in hair drier into a tub full of water, overdosing, hanging herself, or even staring down a barrel of a gun. But she had chose bleeding out. She wasn't sure why. She wasn't exactly thinking straight. All Aria wanted was to get it done.

With a quick movement down her arm vertically, the first cut was made. Aria resisted the urge to cry out in pain. There were tears rolling down her cheeks though. This was it, she thought. Blood steadily exited her veins and into the marble sink. It covered the white inside of it with it's dark crimson color. Another long line was made down the opposite arm, more blood pouring out of her. This was it.

Aria laid her head down against the now sticky counter, watching the blood drip out of her and into the sink. More tears flooding out her eyes before she started to whimper and cry out. Possibly louder than she expected. It would do her no harm but also no good, so why not? Her vision began to grow blurry and she could hear footsteps. The sounds outside of the bathroom felt as if they were miles away when only they were down the hall. The shocked and horrified gasp that was emitted from the entrance of the bathroom was barely heard as she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness. The choked sobs from the person beside her and the sight of them were blurred away. The only thing she could see were the bright lights from the bathroom.

This was it, she thought.

* * *

**Well... What did you guys think!? What will happen next? Mwahahaha... You guys better hope that I don't procrastinate a lot this week. Please review and tell me what you think about the story and blah... Reviews = motivation = faster updates! Thank you all for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Well here's the next chapter! I was so glad I was able to write this faster than last time and you guys will be too. I know I left you all on a cliffhanger so here it is! Enjoy! **

Mike had been walking to his respective room when he heard the whimpers and cries coming from the bathroom. Knowing something was not right, he tentatively opened the door and gasped in shock as his sister's top half was leaning against the marble counter while her arms leaked with her own blood into the sink. He screamed for his mother through panicked breaths. Ella, who was in the living room on the phone, put off his yelling until her heard the sobs in his voice. She disregarded the call and rushed to the bathroom.

Mike's hands where nearly covered in his sister's blood. He was past the point of shock and was now in tears as he watched Ella take care of things, like she always did. Through her alarmed state, she checked Aria over, blood coating her hands also. Aria was still breathing and her heart was still beating, but slowly. Ella tried to get some sort of response out of her; a notion that she was still consciously with her, but she was too far gone. She was too far off into unconsciousness to hear or process a thing.

Aria's skin was even more pale as she lost all that blood and her cheeks were inky and tear stained. Ella, through her sobs, contacted the paramedics to take Aria to the hospital in an attempt to save her. It was then that she saw the razor that was on the floor, also dripping with blood like the slits on her arms. The rest of the night was a blur of flashing blue and red lights, yelling, and the smells and sounds of a hospital waiting room. Mike and her were huddled close the entire night until they were able to talk to a doctor, both of them taking turns consoling each other.

The doctors had said that she lost a lot of blood, a total of over a liter and a half. She had become unconscious because of the state her body was in, and how rapidly the blood was lost. It was a close call they said, almost too close. Due to the cuts being vertical, they had to be careful when fixing the heavily pierced veins but were able to fully stop the bleeding. They had to give her transfusions though, she had lost too much blood to just live with that much left.

Ella and Mike was able to see her within a few hours of admitting Aria into the hospital. But those few hours were spent feeling like centuries. It was no mystery to her why Aria had tried to do what she did. She didn't need the time to think of why, it was fairly obvious to everyone. There was no note, no final words or goodbye if it weren't for Mike who had heard the strangled cries and quiet moans of pain from the bathroom. Only a mutilated, dead body of her own daughter bleeding out into the bathroom sink.

* * *

Aria knew she was alive, she could hear the sounds of the hospital, but she couldn't move. All around her was black and her body was completely immobile and out of her control. Why had her brother heard her? Why didn't they just leave her to die?

She heard a faint sobbing next to her, it must have been Ella. No one else would come in and cry like that. Not her father, her brother, her old friends, not Ezra. All she wanted to do was die. Just plain, simple, dead. No would come to mourn a murderer. Why couldn't her mother just leave her there to bleed out. It was selfish and she knew it, but her mother's life would be so much better without having her as a burden.

She wouldn't try again after this. Two failed attempts. Especially now after she got out of the hospital, her mother would not let her leave her sight in fear of it happening again. Aria begged more than anything for her body to awake. It felt like she was trapped. She couldn't tell if she was conscious but she could hear things faintly. Like the doctors telling her she would be fine but kept under close watch and care, for they had noticed her unfortunate scars that littered her body and the malnourished state she was still in. She wished that she wouldn't be fine after what had happened. It would only have been within a matter of a few minutes before Mike had come bursting in that the effects of her blood loss would be permanent. Only a few moments it would have taken for her body to reach the point of no return. Oh how she wished those few moments were spent continuing to bleed out instead of in her mother's arms as she called the paramedics and did her best to slow things down herself, as twisted as it sounded. Oh how she wished her mother didn't have to deal with a tragedy like the life of her own daughter.

* * *

Ezra tapped his red ballpoint pen against his period four attendance sheet. Aria was the only who wasn't present in the class and couldn't help but blame himself again for her absences. As all the other students worked hard on their classwork, Ezra struggled on grading one measly essay without his mind slipping off to what Aria would be doing. After scribbling a few notes in the margins and a final grade on top of the current paper, he sat is aside and grabbed the one next in his pile.

Of course, because the universe loves to screw with him, the name on the top had to be Aria Montgomery. And because the universe loves him so damn much, the loud speaker crackled to life and the office woman on the other end asked him to pick up the phone.

A few stares were made towards him as he got up and picked up the pale yellow telephone that would have been used back in the 80's. His other hand twirled with the spiraled cable as he awaited the woman's voice.

"There had been an accident last night involving Aria Montgomery, one of your students. We need you to send Spencer Hastings, Emily Fields, and Hanna Marin to the office as soon as possible." Ezra's face fell and he felt his mouth get dry at the thought of Aria involved in an accident. About a million thoughts ran through his head about what might have happened. Was she dead? Is she okay? "Mr. Fitz?" The office attendant said, snapping him back into focus.

"Yes," he cleared his throat and straightened his posture, nervously shoving his hand into his pocket. "Thank you, Shannon. They'll be down soon." He hung up the old phone hastily and shoved his other hand into the pocket of his dress pants. Staring down at the tiled floors as the multitude of thoughts clouded his mind.

The students seemed to catch on, as they were all looking at Ezra or amongst themselves as if one of their peers would have the answer to their teachers sudden change in attitude.

"Spencer, Hanna, Emily. They need you down at the office immediately." Ezra monotonously spoke, not taking his blue eyes off the floor as he walked to his desk. The girls all exchanged strange looks before silently complying and leaving the room without another word spoken. Ezra didn't even bother looking at Aria's essay, scribbling an A on the top of the paper and rubbing his temples to relieve the stress building up in his brain. He wondered how bad the accident was and why those three girls were sent down to the office. Did they know anything about it? All Ezra knew was that those girls were there the night Aria claimed she killed that girl Alison. But nothing seemed to match up. It was all just a bunch of unconnected clues in his mind.

* * *

Veronica Hastings was standing in the middle of the office, glancing around the room as the girls came in. She explained that they needed to drive to the hospital but wouldn't say why until they got into the car. Veronica wasn't very pleased to hear about Aria's accident through Ella, but nonetheless agreed to pick the girls up and drive them to the hospital.

The girls, mainly Hanna and Spencer, were almost in tears hearing that Aria nearly killed herself. Emily was emotionless; turning her head to stare out the window and only thankful she didn't have to endure the rest of the school day. Spencer nearly broke down inside the car, trying to keep her tears and upcoming sobs at bay.

When they were allowed inside the room, where a still drugged up Aria laid, all the girls, even Emily, stared in shock at how bad she looked and her arms which were covered in multiple scars, not all from the asylum. The most prominent of them being the long , expertly stitched up lines that stretched up from her wrist to the inside of her elbow.

Ella stood up and left the room silently as the girls walked in, hoping that Aria would wake up soon and be able to talk to her old friends.

"I think it's now that I tell her, Han. Before it goes to far." Spencer said in between whimpers. Emily stared at her incredulously and Hanna only nodded solemnly, her eyes only on the petite brunette.

"What are you both talking about?" Emily asked, her eyes narrowed as eye brows creased. Hanna turned her head and mirrored Emily's look at Spencer.

"You haven't told her?" Hanna hissed, her eyes widening and an appalled look shot onto her face.

"I could barely handle the blame from you, Hanna. You only recently forgave me. I had no idea how Emily would react." Spencer whispered. Her body began to shake as both of them gave her confused and almost offended glares.

"What the hell are you two talking about? What haven't you been telling me?" As expected, Emily had been the worse effected by Alison's death. Isolating herself from her friends for a long time and pushing herself to focus on swimming. Working out long hours in the pools and forcing her body to do more. She had loved her, she had loved someone who would never love her back in the same way. It wasn't fair to her. When the news broke out that Aria had been the killer, her dismemberment from her friends only grew worse. Until the few moments after the court case, a few moments after Aria had been declared guilty for murder. Their first text from A had been sent, well, Hanna and Emily's first. From then, and through betrayal and uncountable amounts of fighting, they had worked together to figure out who A really was. But it always ended up with A hitting them harder, and them looking like they were on a wild goose chase.

In the midst of the tension, a light stirring was heard from the bed, along with a small groan. Each of the girls heads snapped to attention to watch as Aria had awoken from her drug induced slumber. Spencer uttered her name softly and grabbed her hand, squeezing it very gently.

Aria's eye fluttered open and they focused on where her friends where sitting and where Spencer was nearly hanging over her bedside. Raising the hand that wasn't in Spencer's tight grip, she waved to the girls and tried to sit to a bit straighter. The drugs had made her mind hazy but she was able to focus somewhat. Aria tried to figure out why her friends were, or where her mother was.

"Where's my mom?" Aria asked as she rubbed her eyes. She too examined the damage she had done to her body, but stitches and cuts were nothing new to her. She was alive, and her body wasn't getting any more like it was three to four years ago.

"She's outside." Hanna said, cutting Spencer off before she had the chance to get words out of her gaping mouth. "But we need to talk to you. Well, Spencer has something that she has to tell you." Putting the tall brunette on the spot, Hanna leaned back and watched Spencer to see what she would do. Emily just stared at both of them with the same expression as before. Aria just nodded and leaned back. Though she was confused, she wondered if it was anything about the night she killed Ali.

"Aria, what do you remember about the night Ali died. From first thing to last, what do you remember?" She asked, after a few silent moments of trying to find the right words.

Aria cringed a bit, not really wanted to pour her heart out once more and relive each blurry detail. "The first thing I remember is drinking with you guys. Ali scared us when it was storming outside and it was my turn to drink. You all made snide comments before the rest of you all had a cup. The last is..." Aria stopped, what was the last thing? "The last thing was hearing the sound of metal colliding with bone. There was no real image in my mind, but the sound is definitely there." She whispered, her fingers running over the smooth sheets covering her middle and lowers parts of her body. "I killed her." She whispered, her voice now softer.

Spencer froze in her chair. Nodding as if she completely understood everything. But inside her mind, she just tried to digest everything as if it was sugar free gum she accidentally swallowed.

"Aria, there's something that you need to know. You might not believe me at first when you hear it. But you don't exactly know everything about the night Ali died."

**Another cliffhanger! Sorry! Next chapter will be extremely important and explains a lot. It's nearly as important as the chapter she told Ezra everything! I am a little upset about the lack of reviews I get with each update, only 8 this time! I really appreciate reviews and they keep me going and motivate me because I know you all are reading. I hope this doesn't sound so self centered or anything . I love you guys! See you soon!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Wow this chapter is around 3500 words. Sorry if it's a little messy, I did not feel like heavily editing a 3500 word chapter. I'm actually kinda proud of it and I hope you all really like this installment!**

The three girls sat around Aria's bedside as waited for Spencer to explain what she meant. Half of the four knew what was about to be said. The other half, frankly, was just damn confused.

The only sound in the room after what Spencer had said was the sound of their own breathing and Aria's heartbeat, which was loudly sounding from the monitor placed next to her bed.

"Aria, there are things that you don't now about the night that Ali died." Hanna said. Spencer nodded and dropped Aria's hand from her grasp and sat back into her chair, rubbing her face lightly to try and calm herself. She would have a lot of explaining to do this afternoon. She would have to dig up things she'd rather keep buried for the rest of her life, things she was not proud of.

Aria just looked confused along with Emily about the whole thing. She tried to sit up without the use of her arms but found it hard. Eventually her arms helped her up into a more comfortable position, though causing her to groan quietly in pain. The anesthesia they had given her had most definitely worn off.

"Yeah, I know the night was blurry cause we were all drinking but I know what happened; I killed Ali. She's dead because of me." Aria said softly. She didn't look any of the girls in the eyes, or really at all. Aria just kept her eyes locked on the hospital bed she was laying in, trying to somehow fall unconscious again and put the already stressful conversation on hold. Hanna and Spencer shared nervous and concerned glances and waited a moment before speaking again.

"Aria, you didn't kill Alison." Hanna blurted after taking a large breath. Her cold, blue eyes held Aria's gaze tightly as she turned to look at the three in shock. Spencer and Emily looked at her, appalled, but for different reasons.

Spencer tried to sputter some sort of addition to what Hanna said. But just seeing Aria's skeptical but nonetheless shocked face snatched the words from her.

"Of course I did. You all were there for the trial, I'm responsible for it." The petite girl just shook her head and smiled ruefully. "Just like Ezra..." She mumbled under her breath.

"No, Aria. You didn't. You were framed by A." Aria whipped her head around the room at the mention of her torturer, trying to find her phone until she remembered putting it into the drawer in her nightstand. "I know you have also been attacked by them when you first came here. We've all been dealing with A since you left. I have been trying to keep my own secrets under wraps even before you were hauled away."

Spencer remembered vividly the day that Aria was arrested.

_The moment the three girls stepped out from the court room, their phones had blared in a chorus of different tones. Spencer knew what it meant before they opened their messages. The guilt was still driving her insane. When the two other girls opened the strange message, they both read it aloud. Only, Spencer's was a little different, but claimed it was the same one to avoid suspicion._

_"One liar down, three to go. Let's see what other kinds of dirt I can dig up -A." Emily and Hanna both stared down at their phones, confused and slightly afraid. They didn't understand what this person was trying to do. At first they passed it off as some prank. But Spencer knew pretty well that this person, whoever it was, wasn't messing around. She glanced down at her phone one last time and whipped her head around at the people exiting the court room, trying to silently figure out who this person could be._

_"Let's see how long it takes for you to crack. -A"_

"This person who keeps contacting us told me that you knew something. It would help me remember the night more clear." Aria said. She wished she had her cell to show the girls what this A person had been sending her. The worst thing she received since the first message arrived was a picture of her and Ezra kissing. No message. Just a plain picture from Anonymous.

"More clear isn't the way I would put it. I'm just going to come out and say it, okay? None of what you remembered actually happened, Aria. I'm not exactly sure why you have memories, but they're completely false." Spencer confessed, looking up at the ceiling as if there would be some sort of opening she could shimmy herself through to get out of the room and away from this situation.

Dumbfounded, Aria shook her head and tried to deny what Spencer was saying. "That can't be possible. How can I remember bits and pieces of what happened?" Spencer shook her head, not able to give a straight answer because even she didn't know why. A question that Spencer Hastings could not answer was rare.

"You were asleep, Aria, the whole time. I, on the other hand, was not. I was taking pills at the time to keep me awake. The only people who knew about my addiction with said pills were my family and Alison." Emily and Aria both turned away a bit, not knowing what would come next but had a good guess. "But I promise you, neither of us killed Alison. I am nearly positive that A did. And so is Hanna."

As Spencer was about to continue, a nurse came into the room as the tall brunette opened her mouth to speak but then closed. The nurse informed Aria in her friends that the release forms had been signed by her mother and she was to be dismissed in an hour. She then promptly left, closing the door silently.

"Then... why was I the person who had to take the fall for everything? Why not any of you? Why was my name pasted all over those damned tabloids all over southern Pennsylvania and labeled as a murderer for a crime I didn't even commit." Aria said, her voice growing even more powerful and angry as the words were spat out. Her overall hatred for A drastically grew. Spencer cleared her throat and Hanna bit her lip and tried her best to look sympathetic.

"A few nights after Ali's body was found, A had set me up. It was storming outside and my parents were out with Melissa for some event I rejected an invitation to. I went downstairs for whatever reason the shovel was in my kitchen, leaning against the island with a file next to it. I opened the file and it was yours. It was a fake though, I realized after I read it. There was sticky note right next to your photo and a pair of black gloves. The stick note read, 'It's either you or her, Spencer. And I don't think jail looks good on a college resume.'" She blinked back tears as Aria's eyes now only looked at her with betrayal. Aria now understood why Spencer had been so nice to her, she was trying to work off the guilt by doing what she could. Tears of her own had built their way into Aria's eyes.

_Spencer, in spite of fear, tugged on the black leather gloves and grabbed she shovel from the island. She ran over to the coat hanger and grabbed a black pea coat, slipping Aria's file inside of it. It was not a good time for it to be raining._

_She high tailed it to her car in the pouring rain and started the engine, preparing to make the trip to the Montgomery house that would guilt her for the rest of her living life. She had to save her own ass. There was no way she was going to get into UPenn with a police record. At least Aria would have a way out, a insanity defense._

_Her black Escalade parked across the street from Aria's house. Spencer knew that the garage key was behind a loose brick on the stairs to the front door. She plucked the file from her pea coat and placed it into the passenger seat. The shovel was clenched tightly into her hand when she bolted out of the car and to the steps, where she tested each brick until she found the loose one and took the key from it. She then ran to the backyard where the garage was located and hid underneath the covering above her. After unlocking the door. She, as quietly as possible, lifted the door up and placed the murder weapon against a rack of gardening odds and ends._

_Getting into her car afterwards, she swore she saw a black hooded figure beside a tall white picket fence nearby Aria's house. Her blood froze and she started the car once more, back to the house where she had no intention to sleep._

"I put on the gloves and went to your house. I knew where the key to your garage was and placed the shovel inside. I burned the gloves when I was the job was done. I swear I didn't sleep for a week. I know it was selfish and stupid but I didn't know what I was thinking. I would have taken the blame for everything if I would have known what you had to go through the past few years, Aria." Even through her anger for the girl in front of her, she had to know everything. To clear her conscience. She needed to have all the information that Spencer had.

"What about the file? How did you know it was false?" Aria croaked, her mind was flooding with new emotions and clues. Everything she thought she knew was shattered as if someone had swung a metal baseball bat at it. It felt empty; a lonely void left inside her brain where the guilt used to stay, gnawing away at her sanity like a termite.

"It said that you had a mental disorder, that I knew you didn't have. But I knew from my mother's cases that having a disorder like the one read on that file could have you get off with insanity defense in court. I guess that was what A wanted, because you would have been sent off to wherever you did instead jail. My mother didn't want to use the fake file, but she got a message from A. She didn't know what it was, but it said something about it not being good for her job if she agreed to represent you, and then lost the case. So she used it, but didn't tell you." As Spencer finished, the door opened, and a teary eyed Ella and Mike stepped into the room, ushering Aria out of her bed. Aria tried to frantically wipe away tears and get away from her so called friends as fast as possible.

* * *

Aria sat at the foot of her bed for at least an hour. Still trying to process everything that she was told. It perfectly explain why she could not remember a lot about the night, and why she confused about being insane. She only started to believe she was insane after she was admitted into the asylum and deluded herself into it, until she wholeheartedly believed it. She didn't feel as guilty about Alison, but the pain was still there. It was a reality shock, a wake up call really. To learn after three years of believing she was responsible for a murder and then finding out that you had been framed and betrayed by the person whom you'd been closest to.

A loud vibration was heard from the inside of Aria's nightstand and she nearly shot up in fear. After slowly turning around and staring at the drawer, curiosity got the best of her. Aria withdrawn her phone from inside and stared at the repeating emoticon of the opening envelope over the words New Message until she finally collected the courage to open it.

Inside the message was an attached picture of her sleeping, surrounded by her friends. In what looked as if to be Spencer's barn, only it was. The picture she was looking at was her sleeping on the couch next to Hanna. With Emily and Spencer at the foot of the couch, also fast asleep. A was inside the barn the night Ali died while they were unaware. Whoever this person was planned every little thing that happened, probably up to the moment Aria was standing there with the text open.

Only, that wasn't the only thing the text contained, underneath the picture read another cryptic and taunting message from her torturer.

"You know the truth now. Too bad the whole town doesn't -A"

Quickly, Aria glanced at the clock, it was almost eleven at night. She knew that her mother was asleep by the lack of light in the whole house except the gleaming light from Aria's lamp. Without a second thought, Aria crept down the stairs and to the door. She didn't want to give her mother another heart attack, but she needed to get out the house. Aria walked to the kitchen and grabbed the notepad from the drawer. She scribbled a note and left it there, hoping it would help a little if her mom were to wake up.

Aria slipped out of the front door and started to walk down the dark, empty streets of Rosewood. The bright moon hung high in the air and shown down on the small town like a spot light. After finally reaching the building of her choice, she bravely pushed open the front door and trekked up the high steps up to the third floor, apartment B on said floor. Aria was innocent, she no longer had to hide from him. Again, he felt like a safe haven.

She felt the tears streaming down her face as she contemplated knocking. What if he was asleep? What if he no longer cared for her, knowing what she did? Would he even believe her if she told him that she was innocent?

Impulsively, she knocked a clenched fist against the door and took a few steps back, not knowing what his reaction would be when he saw her at the other side of that door. A few nonsensical shuffling sounds later, the door slowly opened to reveal Ezra on the other side. Traces of a slowly growing beard apparent on his chin and cheeks. He was shirtless, but it wasn't like she hadn't seen his bare chest before. His tired blue eyes widened a bit as they saw Aria and her teary eyes. Nostalgia splashed over him like a bucket of cold water as he remembered the other times he showed at his door like this. His feelings for her never really changed, surprisingly, but it felt different than the other times. And he couldn't put his finger on it as to why.

"Aria, what happened to you? I had to send down Hanna, Spencer, and Emily in the middle of class and they said there had been an accident?" He leaned against his door frame with crossed arms. He wasn't angry, just curious. And letting her inside would only lead to bad things.

Aria gulped and looked down at the flooring inside his apartment. How could she tell him without him freaking out that she tried to commit suicide? Should she just rip the bandage off?

"I failed at committing suicide and was rushed to the hospital last night." Ezra looked like he was about to turn green as Aria shrugged up the sleeves of her sweatshirt to reveal the long, patched up slits going up her arms. He covered his mouth with his hand and his eyes gouged from their sockets. "And I also found out that I was framed."

"For what?" Ezra's looked back at her in the eyes, still switching his focus between her and her damaged wrists.

"Killing Alison. I didn't do it..." Spencer's words were heard in her mind and the tears sparked back from the ducts. She tried to wipe them away as fast as they came.

Ezra felt his defensive wall crashing down inside of him as he saw Aria silently crying in front of him. He could not leave her as fragile as she was right now. It wasn't ethical, what he was about to do, but since when was anything that they did?

"Come inside, please." He said, looking left and right down the dark and empty hallways before taking her small, cold hand into his and leading her into the apartment. He didn't exactly wait for her answer if she was to decline, but she didn't seem to want to when he closed the door.

"I didn't do it," She whispered. Her glazed over eyes fixed on the wood floors of his apartment. Her arms self consciously crossed over her chest. Ezra walked over to be in front of her and break her deep focus. Her head shot up to look at him, making a few more tears escape from her eyes. "I didn't do it," she whispered again before practically throwing herself onto his almost bare body, seeking his warmth and comfort.

His strong arms went around her lethargic body and enveloped her into him. He didn't care that he was just in old sweats, a part of him deeply felt obligated to help her. The possibility of a blooming relationship still hung in the air, left open ended. It wasn't something he wanted to discuss with her right now, seeing as though there was so much more that she had to worry about other than an illegal relationship.

Her face came out of the now damp burrow she made in his neck and tentatively pressed their lips together. Ezra was in no position to deny her, he wouldn't anyway, but she was so fragile right now. His hands gently rubbed her back as he felt more tears stream down her cheeks and dab onto his. After a few moments of their lips locked, Ezra probed his tongue against her bottom lip and was granted immediate entrance.

After a while of their tongues down each other's throats. They broke apart, their cheeks red along with Aria's eyes. They desperately tried to catch their breath but continued to move their hands down the other's body. Aria tried to feign a yawn, but Ezra caught it. He took her hand and led her to the bed, where he laid her down and laid behind her, spooning her body and encasing her with all of him. "Let's not go so fast right now, sweetheart. I think you need your rest."

"I woke from a 12 hour coma this afternoon." Aria responded.

"After what you found out today and the state your in, you can use some more rest." Ezra said, his teacherly voice now coming in. Aria, too overcome with emotion to fight with him right now, grabbed his one hand resting on her hip and wrapped it around her body. Her hands held onto his arm as her head was pressed lightly between his bicep and the pillow. Without another word, she let the aching need for some real rest take over her.

Ezra pulled the bunched up blanket from the edge of his bed and covered their bodies with it. Leaving only her head above the large comforter. The heel of his hand leaned gently onto her chest, allowing his to feel her steady heartbeat as she slept. Letting him know that for now she was safe, and still with him.

**I had to write some Ezria cuteness! I hope we get just a little bit in 5x01 which is in ****_ONLY 8 DAYS YOU GUYS._** **My ezria heart is some desperate need of new material. 2 and a half months is a little too long ABC Family! Well, if you like this chapter as much as I did, don't forget to leave a review, they mean so much to me! Thank y'all for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**OMG TOMORROW IS PLL. I REPEAT, ****_TOMORROW IS PLL. I'm freaking out _****but also extremely glad I was able to get this up by today. I know this is short but I have nothing to say, enjoy!**

The bright sunlight bled through the dark blue curtains shielding Ezra's window and into the apartment, illuminating the room with a lustrous glow.

Ezra's arm was still wound around Aria's chest and he could still, thankfully, feel her heartbeat, silently reassuring him. He could barely sleep after Aria had been startled awake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. She had woken him up by pressing on his chest and squeezing his arm that was protectively wrapped around her, it had made her feel trapped and suffocated. The first thing he saw when his eyes sleepily opened was her frightened, tear stained face. He spent a good half hour kissing her temples and coaxing her back into a peaceful slumber. He was just glad now that she had gotten a solid eight hours of sleep.

Ezra very slowly began to work himself out of the bed without waking up Aria in the process. He was a very early riser and he could tell she was the polar opposite. He thanked God that the day was a Saturday and he wouldn't have to wake her up for the thing he knew she dreaded most.

After successfully making it out of the bed without disturbing her, he made his way to his tiny kitchen and began to prepare a pot of coffee. He leaned his back against the counter with his mug of steaming, liquid caffeine, taken black. The corners of his lips became a widespread smile as he watched Aria sleep. The barely noticeable but still there rise and fall of the blankets that cocooned her as she breathed. It wasn't that early in the morning, only around 8:30, but to a teenager it was basically 4 in the morning.

In the midst of the silence and him watching Aria in her momentary peace, a pounding was heard at his door. Ezra was thankful that the loud knocking hadn't startled Aria awake much like the dream she had that she refused to tell him about. He took one last sip of coffee and quickly slid on a shirt of his on before answering. On the other side of the door was none other than Hardy, clutching multiple papers in his hands with an almost vice grip. Without invitation or a word spoken, Hardy took heavy steps into the room, shutting the door loudly behind him. He shoved the papers into Ezra's chest.

"Look at them, I'll think you'll find enough evidence that proves that the girl that you keep obsessing over is dangerous." Hardy's steely eyes shifted feverishly between Ezra and the now crumpled papers that Ezra held in his hands. On the papers were online newspaper articles of the murder of Alison. Also, a mug shot of Aria in an orange jumper, he had to admit, she did look good in orange. Ezra just shook his head and handed the papers back to Hardy, already knowing the story.

"I know, I heard about it." Ezra said in a whisper. That was when Hardy's eyes landed on the small lump in his bed, and the brunette hair spilling out from the blankets. Not even acknowledging Ezra's words, his eyes narrowed in thought and then widened once more in realization. "Don't you dare tell me..." His now even more enraged friend said. "Please tell me that's another woman than who I'm thinking of."

"Okay, it's not who you're thinking of..." Ezra mumbled and fiddled anxiously with a loose string on his pajama pants and was thankful he was wearing the shirt. Hardy was much taller than Ezra and by the way he could see his eyes twitching, he was so close to pummeling him to the ground.

"What is it with you? Has your sense flown out the window since you left college?" Hardy exclaimed. "She's a psychotic murderer! If it wasn't for her getting out of jail for being crazy, she'd be locked up like she deserves to be. If what's in those paper is not enough things to set off the alarms in your head, I don't know what will." He turned towards the bed, the blankets were still, not rising and falling like before.

"That's not what happened. It wasn't her who killed that girl." He could feel his jaw tightening as well as his fists.

"Did she tell you that?" Hardy seethed. Ezra just shook his head and stared down at his uncovered feet.

"Out." He said flatly, pointed to the door as he broke apart one of his fists to point to the door. "And don't tell me that you're doing what's best because you don't know shit about what is best for me." He didn't look up as he friend stared at him like he had spontaneously grown a second head and then proceeded to storm out of the apartment without a fight, spilling foul words with each footstep. Ezra only took his pointing finger down when he heard the angry slam of the door behind him.

Once he was sure Hardy was far away, he rushed to the bed, where Aria was already wide awake. Like the few hours prior, steady tears rushing down her face. She scooted farther toward the navy walls, her pulled up knees practically pressing up against the wall, as he tried to reach out to her.

"Aria..." He whispered. She was barely even looking at him with her big, hazel eyes that he loved. They were fixed on the tribal patterns on the blanket that was wrapped around her body. With all the space given, Ezra slipped into the blankets next to her, spooning her as they had done the whole night, and gently rubbed her arms. "Talk to me."

Aria shivered as Ezra's hot breath ran down her neck and she felt his body press up against hers lightly. "It's a long story, Ezra. I heard everything that your friend had said."

"I've got all day and it doesn't matter what he said. You are not a monster or a murderer, okay?" His hand snaked down to intertwine their fingers together. "I think it would help if you talked about what is going on," He coaxed. A deep intake of breath was heard before Aria slowly wiggled out of Ezra's grasp and faced him, using the back of her hand as a tissue and rubbing away her tears.

"You know I was framed." She started. Her voice caught as she continued to rub her face and try to collect her scattered thoughts. Ezra just nodded in confirmation. "It was actually Spencer who had me take the fall." Aria stopped again to take a breath, squeezing Ezra's hand which still stayed interlocked with hers.

"She didn't kill Alison either, but someone who we don't know, forced her into hiding the murder weapon in my garage and make the police find it. I didn't know this until yesterday and I was basically forced into believing that I was a murderer. That's just the short explanation. I'm still trying to process things myself."

Ezra shifted nervously in his bed, holding Aria's hand tightly and trying to process what she had said. Who would want to mess with her? What had she or the other girls did that was so bad that one had to be murdered and the other ones corrupted?

"Do you have any idea who this person might be?" He asked. Aria just shook her head and tried to get closer into his welcoming body.

"They've been torturing me and the other girls for months, Spencer was dealing with them since before I was taken into custody. And we have absolutely no idea." Her gaze shifted downwards and her eyes seemed to focus solely on his chest, in some sort of deep thought.

"How are you?" It was a simple question, how was she? Was she even able to explain the gaping hole in her mind that refused to be filled? It was just this three year gap in her mind that proved to be a lie. She didn't have to go to that asylum, she wasn't a killer. She was just a killer when she got there, it changed her like she had thought. Aria was not insane, but she deluded herself into thinking it so her mind would stop aching each day whenever she thought about it in her rotting room. She was nearly certain the room was killing the cells in her brain.

"Numb," She paused. "There are a million thoughts rushing through my brain and I don't know when I'm due for my breakdown but it's sure to happen, I know it. I lived three years in a hell and forced myself into believing I deserved to be in there and die in there. I lived a lie for such a long time, Ezra. I mean, I still did kill those people in the asylum, but like you said, they were bad people. I don't feel as bad as I used to, but the guilt is still there. Just not as bad, I think."

She nudged herself deeper into his body and rested her face in the crook of her neck. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about all of this. Scared? Angry? Upset? Relieved that I didn't kill Alison? I don't know." Ezra didn't say anything. He just kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back soothingly.

All of a sudden, he broke her grasp and slithered out of the bed. Walking to the kitchen to retrieve his coffee mug, he poured Aria one also. "We have the whole day to spend together. Let's take advantage of it, have a little fun and try and figure out what's going on between us and maybe just get your mind off of things for a little while. You don't have to figure everything out in one day, Aria." He said, sitting back in his warm spot on the bed and handing Aria the mug, which she gratefully accepted.

A few quiet moments passed, filled with only the soft sounds of breathing and sips of coffee. "Okay."

XxX

After a call to her anxious mother who had been worrying about her whereabouts, Ezra and Aria found themselves in The Rearview Brew, with more coffee in their hands.

"Favorite movie?" Ezra asked, smiling wide. He was thankful that he was able to put an honest smile was placed upon Aria's beautiful face. He had tried to distract her from all the business she had been going through lately by just asking her questions. So far he head learned her favorite book, color, animal... along with other useless facts.

She thought about it for a bit. "Don't laugh but, It Happened One Night." Ezra eyes brows scrunched up a bit, making Aria laugh at his goofy look.

"No way. That's mine." He said. Both of them started chuckling from the sheer coincidence. Aria turned her head slightly to look at the sudden rush of people coming into the coffee shop, and her giggling immediately ceased, and the smile shrank from her face. Ezra quickly took notice.

"What is it, Aria?" He too turned his head and tried to determine who out of the many people in line she was looking at, but it became fairly obvious after the man looked back at her, scowling.

The man was tall, probably taller than Ezra. Long, straight blonde hair covering his head with piercing blue eyes that looked like they could kill. His iced coffee he received looked like it was about to explode from the intensity which he was holding it. Their eyes remained locked the entire time until he left the shop, leaving her with chills rushing up her spine.

"Aria, who was that guy?" Ezra definitely felt the tension surrounding them, it seemed the people in the shop did too. They were all looking.

Aria swirled the contents of her to-go coffee cup around nervously, still keeping her eyes where the man used to be, staring at the empty space. She hadn't answered his question. "Let's go." She said monotonously, getting up without even looking over at Ezra and making way to the exit of the coffee shop.

Ezra bolted after her, his coffee cup pressed to his chest. He finally caught up to her outside as she stopped, staring as the unidentified man got into his car and drove away, the scowl still present. He looked along also, protectively placing a hand on her shoulder. "Where do you want to go?" It took her a moment to answer.

"Back to your apartment. I can't think of anywhere else to go." She said, staring down at her coffee cup and walking with Ezra to his car. The walk back to his car and the drive back to his apartment was filled with an awkward silence. Ezra understood why this guy was bad news with her, but he didn't understand her sudden, drastic change in attitude. It was if he had flipped a switch in her that brought her back to the dispirited person she was a few weeks ago.

"Is there anything you want to talk about? You seem different now." Ezra said cautiously as they entered the room. He decided that he'd give her some space and sat down on the couch by himself.

"There's nothing to talk about. It was just Ali's older brother, Jason. I haven't seen him since my trial. But it doesn't matter, he hates me. Jason was just her older brother that no one ever saw until her funeral. He just scares me." They both could tell she was confused and angry by her mindless rambles. She was like a piece of driftwood sailing towards the inevitable downfall of a waterfall at the end of the slowly moving river.

"I just need you to kiss me." Aria whispered, walking over to Ezra and straddling his lap bravely. "I just need you to distract me from all of this for a little while.

Ezra, strangely, pushed all the thoughts of having to talk about their relationship aside, and kissed her.

**I just saw The Fault In Our Stars and didn't cry, success. You should all see it cause it was amazing. Anywho, ****_WHOS EXCITED FOR TOMORROW CAUSE I SURE AS HELL AM._**** New Ezria scenes plus S4 on Netflix! YES! I hope you all enjoyed the story and don't forget to review, please!**


	17. Chapter 17

The thin red second hand on the clock above Anne Sullivan's door clicked loudly as it spun slowly around. This session with Anne wasn't going as bad as she anticipated. For the first time in all the appointments that they had, Aria was talking. It wasn't like she was completely opening her heart out to the therapist, but she was definitely feeling more confident in speaking a bit more, which seemed to please Anne. She was mainly talking about and focusing on Aria's suicide attempt for most of the hour. But other topics did come up.

Aria didn't say anything about Ezra or about anything A related, knowing it would end her in heaps of hell with her perpetrator.

"Aria, I'm very glad that your finally opening up to me a bit more. You seem more healthy than when we last met, which I'm thankful for. Would you like to say anything before our session is over?" Aria shifted in her seat for the hundredth the time in that hour. Anne glanced down at her phone where she could see the timer only held five more minutes. They had tackled a few of the demons that Aria was ready to talk about. She remembered Ezra saying that he was no therapist, he couldn't help her emotionally as much as Anne could, but he'd be there for anything she needed him to. He had spoke to her the day before, persuading her to talk to her. He was able to convince her that Anne could help. And he was right, he helped her see that.

There was nothing on her mind that she could let go of that wouldn't point any fingers at A or Ezra or raise any suspicion that she was loosing it again.

"Actually, yeah." That was when something came to her. Anne eagerly urged her to continue.

"Say a friend kept a secret for a really long time, something that would effect you seriously, and suddenly she reveals it and everything you thought was true was blown to smithereens. What do you suggest you should do?"

Anne tilted her head slightly and glanced at the timer on her phone again. "I have a feeling this isn't a hypothetical question."

"It may or may not be, but what would you suggest?" Aria pushed, exhaling deeply and shrugging her jacket up higher on her shoulders.

"Maybe talk to your friend again and try to work out anything that seems to be confusing you still. You'd probably be angry at this friend I assume and you would have every right to but is that how you would want to approach what's going on? With anger? I can see that you're dealing with a lot of emotions right now and just adding to them wouldn't be the best thing to do."

Aria fell silent.

"Come back next week Aria, we've seemed to run out of time. Try and suppress whatever negative emotions you're feeling and focus on the positive ones right now. I'm so glad that you've been able to open up." Aria quickly nodded and got up, adjusting her bag and pulling out her phone from her back pocket, an alert for a missed call from Ezra flashed on her lock screen. She quickly gave her therapist a smile and walked out of the room, holding a ringing phone to her ear. A ghost of a smile graced her lips as a sultry voice answered the phone.

"Hello...?" The voice said. She could practically feel his smirk from the other side of the phone.

"Hello Ezra." Aria replied, mimicking his voice in her greeting. They still hadn't been able to define their relationship quite yet, but just agreed to leave it to figure out later and just let themselves relax a bit. Just leave it to their passion, he had said.

"Are you going to stop by later? I was hoping that I could attempt at making you dinner?"

"Attempt? I'm scared. Maybe I'll spare you of the high chance burning your apartment down." She jibed. An unamused snort was heard from the other end.

"Just for that, I'm totally going to make you dinner. I'll show you." His challenging, confident tone just made her smile even more about how childish he was being.

"I'll be there." The two said there goodbyes and hung up, leaving Aria alone to walk to her car. She continued smiling when she got into her vehicle. Getting together with him and being able to connect with Ezra had possibly been the best thing that had ever happened to her. It wasn't easy, being together, but they made it work. They just had to be careful. Ezra made sure that Aria knew that he valued her over any job and he'd always be there for her. Honestly, she didn't like that, being in the way of his dream job, but she wasn't in the mood for their first fight. Also, she hadn't felt that amazing in years, hadn't felt that loved and safe before.

He was a large help in her emotional healing process. He was the part in her life that gave her the strength to push away all those negative feelings like Dr. Sullivan had said. Both of them knew that it wouldn't be resolved in a day, or a week, or even a month. It would have to take time for her to heal from everything she went through. Small panic attacks and frequent nightmares were something that they knew would plague Aria's life for a long time, but they were prepared.

The clicking of a car door opening was heard and Aria stared incredulously as Hanna climbed into her car and stared right back at her with a hardened expression. "Drive." The blonde strapped herself in and crossed her arms and legs, as if Aria had any idea of what she was talking about.

Aria's hands gripped the steering wheel and tried to form a sentence, fairly confused and quite shocked at the girl's brash actions. "Where?"

"Spencer's." Hanna sighed, her facial features softening a bit, but only in a minuscule amount. "She's a mess right now and I think it would be best if you two talked some more."

Aria shook her head and closed her eyes in refusal. The absolute last thing she would want to do right now was talk to Spencer, let alone see her. "No. Please get out of my car."

But Hanna didn't budge. "She's a wreck, Aria."

"Hanna, I'm not ready to talk about it more with her. Three days is not enough time for me to process things I've been lied to about for more than three years, especially by someone I thought I could trust." Aria growled, her hold on the steering wheel becoming tighter.

Hanna still stared at her with a steely gaze.

"Fine then, come when you are ready." She surveyed Aria one last time, when she had her head turned in the opposite direction, and got out of the car like she requested.

Aria's boot-clad foot hit on the gas as soon as both of Hanna's feet were on the sidewalk and it sent her flying down the road. She observed briefly from her rear view mirror as Hanna remained standing where she was, arms crossed, watching the car Aria was driving speed away. The girl was crazy thinking Aria would succumb to her demand to see Spencer. Spencer could have saved her from torture and mental corruption but she was too full of herself and scared for her precious college résumé to think of her friend's future. It was surely motivating for Aria to know that Spencer valued going to her dream school more than her friend's emotional and physical stability. Aria could have died in there and probably would have if she didn't escape.

Aria didn't want to go to Ezra's just yet, she had been spending so much time during the weekend at his apartment, it was a wonder Ella wasn't suspicious in the slightest. Both Ella and Mike were still a little shaky and protective of Aria since her attempt. But they still thought of her as the teenager who killed her best friend. It just made her think about how she was even supposed to explain that she was framed. Who would believe her?

Aria decided to go to Ella's and possibly change out of the sweater and black leggings she was dressed in, though she doubted Ezra would mind. She could probably show up in a paper bag and he wouldn't bat an eyelash.

Surprisingly, Ella was glad to hear Aria would be going out again, but didn't pester her as to where. Aria decided against changing, she didn't look too horrible. The outfit hid her scars almost perfectly, except the ones that marred her neck and nearby her ears. She was thankful that Ezra never brought them up. It would make for another horrible conversation.

A light buzzing was heard from her bed in the middle of her self assessment. A smile grew on her face at the thought of who it could possibly be. She snatched the phone up and her giddy smirk immediately fell. The phone displayed a message from an unknown number.

Painstakingly, she opened the message and her heart nearly stopped at the now second photo A had sent her, but this one was different. The picture was of her straddling Ezra's lap and engaging in a deep and passionate kiss. It nearly made her throw up at the idea of A sticking his or her camera into Ezra's window.

"Spill any more of the beans to your lover boy and this will be the first thing the principal sees tomorrow morning. -A"

Aria stared down at the text for a little while longer, thinking about what would happen to Ezra if Hackett were to see this. He'd be fired far before they would have time to find a replacement.

The phone was placed in Aria's small bag and out of sight. That wasn't what she should be focusing on. She just couldn't say anything to Ezra, he'd understand if he steered away from the topic. As much as it would help to talk to someone, him keeping his job until she graduated or at least got a GED was more important.

Aria left her room and reassuringly hugged Ella goodbye and checked herself one last time in her car. A kind of giddy feeling bubbled up inside of her as she drove down the familiar roads to the other side of town where Ezra's apartment complex was. Her heart squeezed slightly at the thought of his stupid smile that would light up whenever she was around and his large body that towered over her and embraced her with all his love.

All the stress from the A nonsense seemed to evaporate as she arrived at the familiar dark wooden door. An Aerosmith song could be heard from inside the apartment, also with the sound of Ezra singing along like a goof. His hysterical duet with Steven Tyler was cut short when Aria rapped her knuckles on the door, trying to hold back an oncoming uproar of laughter.

The door had opened slowly, revealing Ezra with his expression looking awfully sheepish. He scratched the back of his neck with one hand and held the knob of the door with the other. He could tell that she had heard from the way her hand was covering her mouth and a small giggle was heard.

"Glad to see the apartment isn't up in flames." Aria snarked as she finally composed herself. Ezra shook his head and chuckled to himself. He took his hand away from the doorknob and led Aria inside the apartment.

"I hope you weren't expecting a five star meal because as much as you know how badly I want to give you the best, I just made pasta and olive oil." Ezra admitted, peering down into the large pot to observe the cooked noodles, as if they had burned in the thirty second he wasn't in his kitchen.

"That's fine," Aria said as she slid behind Ezra and wrapped her arms around his toned stomach. She gently rested her head on his back.

Ezra's hand traveled down and interlocked their fingers together. He smiled as her arm's grip became tighter around his midsection and the weight of her body pressed up against his back. They stayed like that for a few moments. Ezra could feel Aria's heart beating on his back as he chest pressed up against him.

Smirking to himself, he let go of one of her hands and spun her around to face the front of him. Ezra then slid his hand underneath her thigh and lifted her up to sit on top of the counter, next to the pot of pasta. His lips descended to leave a peck on her nose as he prepared a plate for her.

"That was smooth I must admit." Aria said, placing one hand on her thigh nonchalantly and the other around his neck lightly as he scooped a small pile of pasta on to the plate in his hands.

"It was, wasn't it." He chirped, a confident smile plastered on his face. Ezra twirled some of the noodles onto the fork and held the utensil up to her mouth, opening his own mouth as to mimic her.

The rest of the night was full of playful banter, quick kisses and of course food. But tonight was not one of those blissful night where Aria was able to fall asleep in Ezra's protective, and strong arms. She didn't want to have to go home and deal with all the horrible things that would face her. She didn't want to have to be harassed by A and have to deal with the pressure of keeping her lips sealed to him, and everyone basically, about this person. It was absolutely chilling to see that picture of them and think that he, she, it had put their camera into Ezra's window and snapped those photos.

It was a good thing that she could call him. It was calming to have the last thing she would hear before falling into whatever nightmare she would have that night be his voice and whatever words he spoke.

"Tonight was amazing, Ezra. You are definitely a better chef than I made you out to be." Aria confessed, holding the phone to her ear as she pulled the covers of her bed over her body.

"Well don't expect me making too much for you. That and grilled cheese are the only things I've learned to cook without making people, or myself, throw up afterwards."

They both lightheartedly laughed, and she could hear Ezra's sigh of contentment from his end. "You should go to sleep, Aria. It's almost eleven and we have school tomorrow."

"Yeah, but I don't want to sleep." She admitted. He almost immediately understood.

"I know. But I'll have my phone right next to me the whole night. If you wake up in the middle of the night can't fall back to sleep, give me a call, okay? Just try and get some rest for me." Ezra begged, his tone becoming more serious.

"Okay."

"Goodnight, Aria."

**Oh my god, Tuesday was amazing. I can't wait until this week for a new episode. I know Ezra won't be in it but JASON. I hope you all liked the chapter and I know it's a little late I apologize, my teachers think now it's a good idea to pile on projects due this week when we only have 8 days left. Ugh, you all are lucky your school year is over. Review!**


	18. Chapter 18

His hands brushed off some stray chalk dust that had flown onto his black vest. Ezra wiped the names off of teenagers who had always scribbled their names on the board when he wasn't in class right at the moment they were. His eyes followed as Aria entered the classroom and took a seat. He was thankful he hadn't received a call at four in the morning from Aria. The fact that she had slept well the previous night could not have made him any more joyous.

Ezra had began his lesson once everyone was in their seats. He teachings were like everyday; class discussions on the chapters they had read on the book which was now Lord Of The Flies, more questions they had to answer on a separate piece of paper, and then work that needed to be handed back was. He watched with a small smile as Aria scribbled down answers and flipped through the pages of the torn up book on her desk. The little crease in her forehead from her scrunched up eyebrows made his heart swell.

Ezra swiftly fished Aria's paper out of his pile of too many and left her a small note, nodding to himself. He then strode around the room, passing out each person's respective paper and sneaking a quick look at their responses to the questions.

Aria glanced down at the paper she was handed back and watched as Ezra care freely shoved his empty hands into his pockets and walk back to his desk. She quickly disregarded the grade put on the paper and went to the message she had saw him write before his trip around the room.

_Sleep well? _A messy little smiley face was drawn in red pen next to the two words. Her mouth curved to form a grin. Aria quickly slipped the paper into her desk so no one would be be able to call her out on it. She could clearly see the sly smirk on Ezra's face as she picked up her head and awaited him to continue his lesson. The best part was about this that only she knew why he was smiling.

There were good parts of that day; example would be Ezra. But some stressful and just flat out bad things had also occurred throughout. Much like Hanna burning a hole in the back of Aria's head all through each class they were together in. The girl looked furious each time they came in contact as if she was a Rottweiler protecting it's territory. Hanna was seething that Aria didn't so anything to help Spencer, whom was driving herself up the wall with guilt. She looked as if she hadn't slept it weeks and had no idea what a hairbrush was. But Aria just wasn't ready to talk about it more with her, or anyone except Ezra.

It wasn't a lie to say that Spencer had done some horrible things, she sold out her friend for something she didn't even do so her future would be secured. She had stood there in the court room, watching as Aria was dragged out of the room with her hands behind her back and silver cuffs around her wrists. But it was also true that Aria did some horrible things as an effect, being responsible for the killings in the asylum and nearly killing herself. Aria couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for Spencer because she had been in her shoes just weeks before she found out the truth. Aria remembered neglecting herself things and thinking of herself as worthless. Nearly ending her life because she felt so inferior and rudderless.

Those feelings didn't just vanish into thin air as soon as the truth was spilled, but it did give her a small sense of freedom from the weight of all her guilt.

She had also seen Jason walking around the school. He had apparently be assigned to help some kids dealing with substance abuse. Aria had known that he did some drugs during the time Ali was still alive. Jason's blue eyes which matched his sister's to a T pierced through her being each time she saw him in the hallway. The guy was scary as hell.

Along with Hanna's crystal blue eyes watching her like a hawk, she could feel A's cameras on her as well, watching her every move. Ever since the pictures, she had tried her best to keep herself tight lipped and inconspicuous. At every moment possible, she wracked her brain to think of people who could very well be A. Not being in the town for very long since A had begun with her, she came up empty handed every time.

Emily seemed to be the only one who looked like she wasn't going to strangle Aria with her bare hands. Mostly because she had also been kept in the dark about the whole Alison thing and Aria not being her killer. The two had rarely ever hung out together, unless it was a sleepover with the five of them. The never really hung out without Alison. They all just hung out each other but revolved around their leader as if she was the sun.

Emily, the peacemaker she was, stayed unbiased when it came to the problem at hand with her old friends. Trying to set up some sort of intervention between Aria and Spencer, she called the two over to talk things out, hoping that both of them would accept and possibly move on from this. Aria politely turned down.

"Of course she did, she doesn't want to talk to Spencer, or anyone for that matter." Hanna growled lowly. She too was sick of Spencer's constant moping when they needed to continue solving the bigger problem at hand, A. Aria's incompetence and stubborn responses to the proposals to talk things out also ground Hanna's gears.

"She just needs time. It's okay." Emily responded feebly, collapsing back on her white leather couch. Her hand wound into her highlighted hair as she tried to calm down her pounding head.

"No it's not okay. Spencer's going to practically explode if Aria doesn't say anything to her. The girl's filled to the brim with guilt." Hanna shot back, "I know Aria's basically been through a war zone but the girl's got to get a grip."

Emily's mouth gaped a bit at her bitter response. How could Hanna be so insensitive at the moment? "Hanna, Aria has been forced to live through levels of pain we haven't even imagined. She has literally been scarred for life, have you seen them? You have to give her time." The blonde fell silent.

"Fine, but if Spencer turns into as much as a downer as Aria was when she got here, we're dragging both their sorry asses in here as having an interview."

"Intervention."

"Whatever."

XXX

Aria shot up from the bed she was resting in. The blinds were drawn on each window, making the entire room pitch black. Except for the small sliver of yellowish light that could be seen from the small crack underneath the door. She was panting heavily as she ripped the blankets off of her roasting body and the more cool air from the room rushed to cover her body.

Her oncoming scream of panic was contained until she saw the person lying in bed with her, his goofy grin spread across his face without a care, and she remembered where she was. Aria was so thankful in those three seconds of recognition that she was able to stay at Ezra's that night, for the nightmare that she slept through wasn't near similar to the last. A low chuckle escaped Ezra's lips as she tried to keep her tears at bay. But she knew that he wasn't laughing at her, he was still fast asleep. Aria could remember hearing Ezra's silly giggles in the middle of the night almost every night when she was over.

"Ezra... Ezra..." Aria whimpered as she shook his unconscious body lightly. She clutched the blanket that covered both of their bodies in one hand as she shook his chest with the other. It took her shaking his whole body in terror to wake him up. His eyes flew open as he heard a small sob escape her lips and felt his body being shaken around by his shoulder.

A series of consoling words escaped his mouth in feverish mumbles as he sat upright and gathered Aria's terrified form into his arms. He was also trying to wake himself up in the midst of all of it and try to get a grip because of the darkness surrounding the room. It had been almost like a routine as how to relax Aria when she woke up in the middle of the night, whether it be by phone or in person. He cradled her face with one of his hands and leaned the other side of her face against his chest. His body encased her's as he rubbed her back in languid circles and kissed her head lightly.

"Did you have another nightmare?" He whispered into her ear. Ezra felt her nod against his chest. Her face turned up to look at his face, which was barely able to be seen through the thick darkness in his apartment.

Her hand was brought up from around her legs to trace his face lightly. Her deft fingers stopped once they reached his soft lips. Aria sat up more straight in Ezra's lap. Her hand snuck to the back of his head and pulled him in for a kiss. Her slightly cracked lips met his and replaced her fingers. Ezra was confused for a moment, she had never been so affectionate when she was as scared as she was now, but he soon complied after he felt how eager she was for a response.

"You were dead." Aria mumbled as she tore away from Ezra's lips slowly and laid her head against his chest. Again, she shrunk down to the size of a small child against his body. Her frame was tiny and it felt as if she weighed as much as a lap dog.

"What are you talking about?" Ezra asked softly, continuing to rub her back and cocoon her with his arms.

"In my dream, I thought you were dead." Her hands searched his body for a good place to take hold, as if she were to let go, he would disappear.

Ezra, with a soft sigh, picked Aria up by her underarms and sat her upright so the two were eye to eye, even though it was still pitch black in the apartment. His hands then went to wind themselves into her brunette locks and massage her scalp. Aria instinctively leaned back into his hands and moved her head around to his ministrations.

"Hey, I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere." He bowed his head to plant small kisses around her forehead and nose.

"I know." She whispered, grasping his wrists and holding them in place as she basked in his care. "But when do you think they'll stop?"

Ezra ceased his kissing and just rested his forehead against hers. His thumbs slid out from her hair and caressed her soft cheeks as he pondered for a right answer. "I don't know, sweetheart. I wish I knew." There was a silence that followed, with them just holding each other up.

"I'm sorry for waking you up." She leaned forward to press a kiss to his nose just as he would. They were both able to fill each other with passion and electricity with each kiss and tender touch, no matter what the mood.

"I don't mind. As long as I know you're okay."

Aria seemed to relax almost instantly to his words and sink back into his body which had started to mold to hers. After a few moments of getting them situated for sleeping again, he heard the quiet, regulated breathing of the girl next to him, the one sharing his bed.

But too be fair, Ezra had no idea how long her taunting nightmares would last. And the fact that she had one about him worried him. They seemed to be getting worse than they were previous nights when she would sleep over or call him. This time she didn't seem to want to talk about the dream like she would the other nights. She was always eager to get it all out and feel better, but this time was different, she just wanted him to touch her and be there for her. He was thankful that she had slept over that night and that the dream had happened then. If he wasn't there, it would have been a hell of a lot harder to calm her down, and he might be tempted to drive over to Ella's apartment at three in the morning to console his his girlfriend.

He also noticed a decline in her ability to speak about the problems she was able to before, and he wondered if there was something else that was blocking her from doing so. He was definitely wrapped up in his own insane little things. He was distracted and for the one of the first times in his life, he had something to look forward to and to be actually excited about.

He was completely absorbed up in Aria Montgomery's little twisted life, and he couldn't be any more happy.

**I'm not exactly the happiest with this chapter and I know I'm not as good as others as writing. Damn, I want so badly to just take a break and start this other story I have in mind but I want to finish this one so desperately. I end school next Wednesday so maybe that'll open up more time for me to write and finish this. I know these past chapters have really been Ezria centered but I promise the next chapter or two focuses on the OT4. I hope you liked the chapter more than I did! Thanks for reading.**


	19. Chapter 19

Aria sat on Ezra's black couch, holding a bowl of corn flakes in her hand. She had insisted that cereal was okay for breakfast after she awoke abruptly a few minutes ago to the smell and sight of burnt pancakes that Ezra attempted to make for them.

Ezra was still scrubbing the burnt mix that instead of come off the pan with water, stuck stubbornly to the metal. She watched intently from her seat as he pushed up the sleeves of his dress shirt as he washed off the pan. The white shirt and navy vest he wore for teaching now modeled his muscles nicely, and his black slacks allowed her a show of his _assets._

"Have you talked to Spencer or any of the other girls yet?" Ezra asked as he sat in the chair next to the couch. He had given up on his battle with the burnt pancake mix and would tend to it later; he had a girlfriend to care for.

Aria shook her head and stuffed her mouth with more cereal, awkwardly hoping it would make Ezra notice that she didn't want to talk about it. "Maybe you should. I think it would help. But again, I'm no therapist."

Aria swallowed her breakfast hard as Ezra waited for an answer. "My therapist did say it would be good if I did, but I'm not sure." Ezra reached out to rub her thigh, making her cheeks tint with pink as his slightly cold and damp hand met her warm flesh.

"Hey, I think you should. If it doesn't work out, I'm always here for you." Aria smiled a bit. She knew he would be there if things went awry, but she still really couldn't tell him anything. He was still in danger, he just didn't know it. And he couldn't know, not until the whole A mess was resolved. She just wished that A hadn't gotten him mixed up into this disaster. He didn't do anything to deserve his life and job hanging by a thread if she did something wrong. Aria needed Ezra as much as he needed her.

"I know." Aria heaved a sigh, and placed her hand atop of Ezra's, faking a genuine smile. "I'll try."

* * *

Per Ezra's request, Aria stood outside the Fields' house. She hesitantly shifted her feet as she waited for Emily to text her back.

_Is your mom home?_

_No, she's at work. Come in_

Aria breathed a sigh of relief that Mrs. Fields hadn't been home. She was not favored in Rosewood by anyone. As nice as Emily's mother was, she didn't think she'd be so happy seeing that her daughter brought her ex-friend slash a convicted murderer into the house.

_Thank you_

She slowly walked up the creaky white steps and onto the porch. Aria had requested that she was the only one there with Emily before Spencer would come. Sitting there in a tension filled room with Hanna would be the last thing she would want. Aria pulled open the glass door tentatively and entered into the house. It was as spotless as she remembered it being when they would all come over. Aria just stood in the doorway, not exactly feeling obligated to touch anything or go anywhere until Emily appeared.

"Emily?" She called. Her voice seemed to echo eerily throughout the house, until she heard a stumbling coming from upstairs.

"Coming! Coming!" Emily hurried down the stairs and stopped short at the bottom, exhaling in relief. "Part of me didn't think you would come. But I'm glad you did. Other than the whole Spencer thing, there are other things all four of us need to discuss."

Aria just nodded, continuing to stay silent and awkwardly shifting herself around. Emily walked towards her and grabbed her hand, startling Aria a bit. "Sit down. Hanna and Spencer will be here soon." Emily led Aria to the white leather couch and she took a seat, staying rigid on the sofa.

It was like she was back in the court room, sitting with everyone's eyes trained on hers and picking up and analyzing every syllable that came from her mouth. Hanna had stormed into the house without even knocking, nearly scaring Aria, who was already on edge, out of her wits. Spencer trailed behind, treading lightly around the house and seating herself across the room from Aria.

Hanna spit rapid fire questions at Aria when she first arrived as if it was some sort of game show, but it wasn't any fun. Some personal, others that involved Spencer.

"Emily said you had gone through a hell when you were gone, what could have possibly been so bad?" She asked, leaning her elbows against her knees and bending forward a bit.

She explained, everything. In as vivid detail as she could.

Aria had explained the condition of the place; dirty, dark, smelling of blood and whatever things it were that were rotting. She went into detail into the most pain-inducing and illegal experiments they had preformed on her, as if she was a lab rat. Even going to the point of lifting her shirt to further prove her points. Spencer looked like she was going to upchuck all over the Fields' coffee table when seeing all of it. She even spoke about Elliot. She spoke about the accident and how she was driven to betray him for her own personal "gain", for lack of better words.

When speaking about Elliot, she stopped short, and looked at Spencer. She was curled up into a ball and as white as a sheet. Aria knew why, the reason was her. Spencer was driven to betray her so she wouldn't get hurt, for her own personal gain. And she was guilty, just as Aria had felt even now.

Aria lifted herself from the couch where Spencer was and wrapped her arms around the taller girl's body. She was stunned for a moment, not understanding why all of a sudden Aria was embracing her, rather tightly. Soon, she collected herself and placed her hands around Aria's back and rested her head against her shoulder. When they pulled way from each other, Aria spoke.

"I don't know if I can ever forgive you, Spencer. But I don't want you to beat yourself up, okay?" Spencer nodded, wiping a few stray tears that had landed on her pale cheeks in the few seconds they spent in the others arms. Aria stood up straighter again and inhaled deeply.

"Anymore questions?" She asked, turning her head around to meet gazes with Hanna. The blonde have a small smile and shook her head.

"I'm glad we were all able to work things out you guys but there's also other matters to be attended to." Emily piped up. Spencer scrunched up her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes.

"Like what? I thought the reason you two dragged me and Aria here was to somehow reach a middle ground."

Hanna and Emily both exchanged looks of displeasure before Hanna interrupted Emily about to speak. "About A. Spencer, while you were chasing your own tail trying to help, me and Emily actually came up with something." Spencer looked slightly offended.

"And? What did you find?" Aria sat down next to Spencer and leaned her arms against her thighs.

"Well, no hard evidence, but we have a theory."

"A theory?" Spencer said in disbelief, cocking an eyebrow towards her blonde friend.

"Yes, a theory. Do you want to hear it or not?" Hanna asked sharply, her eyes narrowed in a mocking expression. Emily cut Hanna off once she felt the tension surrounding the two.

"Yes, we think Jason is A." Emily watched Aria and Spencer's faces as their reactions morphed from confusion, to doubt.

"How? Out of everyone in Rosewood, why Jason?" Aria asked, folding her arms. As much as she wanted to find out who her torturer was, Aria assumed they were just going off on random guesses.

"You've seen the guy, Aria. He's scares the crap out of everyone. He was there at your court case-"

"Because he's Ali's brother. Why would he want her dead?"

"She was the one in the family always being fawned over. Maybe he was jealous. Did we ever see Jason while at Ali's house?" Emily asked.

"Not a lot, but a few times. He was always high. He was under the influence the night that Ali died. How could he have killed her if he could barely move?"

Spencer and Hanna watched the two continue to bicker like a married couple over why Jason could or couldn't be A. Hanna could not help but wonder why Aria was defending him. If he was a suspect, why wasn't she all over the fact that he might have been the person who got her into the asylum?

Yes, Jason could send shivers down even the most brave person in Rosewood. But was that all they had besides random accusations? They could just pluck a random citizen off the streets and assume they were A just because Ali called them a bitch once. But what position was Aria in to argue. She spent years in a place far away from A. She had not even a single clue who it could be.

"He's the only person we have left to confront who makes sense. We don't even have a good enough reason for him not to be. Besides maybe he was Ali's brother." Emily spoke. Aria still didn't seem so convinced, but nodded anyway.

And that was when all there phones rang. A chorus of different ringtones echoed throughout the house. Each girl froze in fear and felt their blood turn to ice. They all locked eyes with each other as they took out their phones and opened the message simultaneously.

_A cat plays with it's mice for hours before it eats them. Once they're dead the fun's over. 532 Noble St. -A_

"What's 532 Noble?" Hanna asked, her cell clutched in her hand like it was her life. They all scanned the message over and over. What was A up to this time.

"It's an address. A wants us to go there." Spencer said. She was breathing hard through the silent room. Is was rare when they got a group message and they knew very well it was never a good thing.

"We can't. Read the message. _Once they're dead, the fun's over._" Emily shook her head. "It's a trap. But why would they make the message so specific if they know we won't come?" The three turned towards Aria who was studying her phone more closely. She looked like she was going to pass out.

Her message was different than the rest. Attached to a different message was a picture of someone passed out and tied up. The picture was taken in a dark room and was all grainy and blurry. The message underneath the picture said, Two hours -A. Nothing else. Two hours till what? She thought.

Aria continued to study the picture until she figured it out.

"We have to go, now." She was panting in panic and she felt her heart drop into her stomach.

It was Ezra.

**I apologize for the word count of this chapter. It's slightly shorter than the rest of them. I just have a busy busy week and I wanted to get this up as soon as possible. I, alone, have two parties to go today! Then my sister's graduation this week and blah, all of that stuff. I'm sorry for leaving y'all with such a cliffhanger but drop a review with how angry you are for me doing this or your theories! I'd be honored to hear them. See you later!**


	20. Chapter 20

**I changed my penname! Yes, OfficialEzrianxX just wasn't doing for me anymore. I am Venomousdeers now! I hope I don't get confusion or people stop reading my stories cause they think it's not me. It's me, I promise :)**

Aria was in hysterics. She had begged and pleaded the girls to drive them and almost went to the address alone before they were forced to chase after her. Her body was shaking as she continued to stare at the picture of Ezra knocked out in that chair. Two hours, the message said. The only explanation that made sense for A would be for him to be dead in two hours.

"The address is for a run down accountant's office in Philly." Hanna said as she viciously typed at her cellphone's GPS. Emily was in the drivers seat. With each shaking intake of breath from Aria, her heart broke even more. None of the girls knew why she was so determined to get to that building. Not even Spencer, who was sitting the back seat of Emily's car, holding the tiny brunette in her arms.

All of the girls were on edge. They were about to confront A face to face. They had no idea what was going to happen once they stepped into that run down building. No one could tell, sitting in the car, that each girl was just about nervous as Aria, besides the fact that their lovers weren't at the risk of death if they didn't turn up fast enough.

Multiple worst case scenarios rushed though Aria's mind, cluttering every coherent thought that tried to calm her down. What if there was traffic to Philly and they didn't get there in time? What if they couldn't find the place before the clock ran out? What if Ezra was already dead? She needed him. She would most likely be dead if he hadn't been there for her in her worst times. The last scenario made her sobs become heard.

"One more street, that should be Noble." Hanna said, shoving the phone in her pocket and preparing to get out of the car. Emily took a sharp turn down the street and parked as close to the building as she could get.

Aria had shoved all of her tears out of the way and put on a brave face in case she had to endure the worst. They all got out of the car and Hanna confirmed the address one last time. Emily fronted the group, being the bravest right now out of all of them. She busted through the locked, tattered door with her shoulder and all four girls scurried in, taking notice of the very dimly lit place.

The first thing they all noticed was Ezra in the chair in the back of the room, but nothing else. No one else was present in the dingy, off smelling place. It was stripped bare of everything, just leaving the covered windows and the dust covered floor.

"Ezra!" Aria cried, rushing to the chair he was tied in and hurriedly trying to untie the rope which was wrapped very tightly around his wrists. She had loosened it a bit before tears started to blur her vision. The tears swam in her eyes as she tried to wake him up, but his head merely lolled as she shook him. She slapped his face a few times in a delirious state.

"He's got another ten minutes at most, sweetie." A sickeningly sweet voice chided. Out of another room, waltzed a short sized girl. Her hair pin straight and her lips painted a dark, almost blood shaded red.

In front of Aria and the other girls stood none other than Mona Vanderwaal.

"Mona?" Hanna asked, her powerful demeanor she had built up over the hours spent at Emily's and while driving completely diminished into the air. Her rigid body stature deflated and her mouth hung open. How could her long time friend who had helped her climb up the hierarchy of the school and been her literal partner in crime, actually been the person torturing her and her friends?

Mona ignored Hanna, besides the sinister smirk she had flashed, and turned to face Aria, who was kneeled on the ground, still clutching Ezra's tied wrists. Her face held an expression of fear from Mona's previous comment about Ezra.

"I meant until he wakes up. He's not the one we're after. He was only bait to get you four bitches here. Chloroform always does the trick." She lifted up her foot and kicked Aria's hands off of Ezra's. "You two were too cute. Student and teacher relationships, so scandalous." She hissed dryly.

"We?" Spencer questioned, staring at the shorter but infinitely more intimidating girl. As if on cue, the door slammed shut, sealing the four girls inside the building with their attacker, or now, attackers. The three turned around to see who had shut the door. But Aria's face had already turned a ghostly white in realization as she watched the man slink in the shadows to the door. Jason DiLaurentis stood stoically in front of the door, his arms crossed along his chest.

"You had it all figured out, we couldn't have let you away with that. We were also tired of watching you four scurry around in circles. It get's boring after three years." Jason said, his black hoodie was tightly zipped to his body and the leather gloves gripped at the material of the jacket.

"And we won't just let you go. The fun's already over, so it's just our last little game." They all turned back to face Mona, who had already shoved Aria up from her position on the ground and moved her to the middle of the room, pressing the barrel of a gun against her temple. "I was sure that you were going to die in that sanitarium, now I'm going to see that my wishes finally become true." The timing in the room suddenly became slower; each second felt like an hour. The past weeks with Ezra flashed through Aria's mind.

"Why are you doing this?" Aria pleaded, refusing to let herself cry at a time like this. She could feel her heart rapidly hammering against her chest as the whole situation sunk in. She could not even bare to picture Ezra's face if he woke up and saw Aria's lifeless and bloody body on the ratty floor of the building.

"Because, we were sick of Alison torturing us, and you four just giggled and watched idly as she did so." Mona growled, pressing the barrel more roughly against the side of Aria's head. "You didn't kill that girl, Aria. We did." She added in a low whisper, moving her crimson colored lips dangerously close to Aria's ear.

Spencer was the first, and only, brave enough to do something. Seeing Aria immobilized like that and looking so scared made her sick. She tried to run towards Aria, throwing all of her fear of being shot into the wind, before Jason grabbed her arms and pinned her back to his chest.

"Run!" She screamed. Emily and Hanna took the chance and tried to bolt towards Mona who seemed to be getting more enraged by the second.

"If either of you girls take one more step towards me and I'm blowing her brains out." Mona barked. She knocked the gun harshly against the side Aria's head, sending waves of pain through her cranium. She did her best to remain calm and try to reason with Mona, hoping to buy herself time.

"Does this really make you any better than she was when she was alive?" Aria interrogated. Mona groaned under her breath and brought up her other arm to wrap around Aria's neck, breaking her ability to breath clearly. Aria's hands immediately flew to Mona's arm, which only made her press harder. Aria wheezed with each breath she tried to take; her lungs were bad enough.

"If you must know, no, it doesn't. But that bitch got everything she deserved from us. And so will you when I'm done with you-"

"Mona!" Jason yelled, alarming his partner. Before Mona could even blink, the gun pressed to Aria's temple was knocked from Mona's hands and onto the ground. A pair of arms were wrapped around Aria's torso and had shoved away Mona's arm that was blocking her breathing. She gasped for breath as her ability to breathe was given back and she was pulled away from her perpetrator. Aria glanced back and awaiting tears spilled from her face as Ezra looked down at her; his face was filled with panic.

As the gun was pushed from Mona's grabby hands, Hanna lunged from her frozen position to the ground and snatched the dirtied up gun before anyone else was able to. Ezra held a shaking and gasping Aria protectively against his chest as he watched the scene against him unfold.

Mona made a run for Hanna, attempting to unarm her and take back the gun. Hanna felt a surge of power run through her as she held the pistol in both of her hands. Before Mona was able to reach within arms each of the blonde, the sound of a gun shot was head and shrill screams were sent echoing throughout. Hanna backed up but had her fingers tightly wrapped around the gun to the point where her knuckles were white. Everyone in the room did nothing as Mona bled on the ground, a bullet pierced the middle of her boot.

"You bitch!" She screamed through her her cried of pain.

Jason made a move towards his partner, but ceased as Hanna pointed her readied gun directly at him. He didn't move, but he refused to let both his arms off of Spencer.

"There's a good chance your gonna shoot your friend here if you pull that trigger." Jason warned, nodding down to Spencer who had concern and terror written all over her face. She tried to struggle out of the man's grasp but to no prevail.

Hanna grudgingly put the gun down but watched Jason with a close eye as he marched over to a groaning and screaming Mona as she tried to tend to her own wound. Jason held Spencer to his chest with one hand as he ripped Mona's hands away from her foot with his other.

Aria wiggled out of Ezra's grasp and slowly walked over to Hanna. She attempted to maneuver the gun out of the blonde's hands before she went berserk with power. Hanna turned around, alarmed, as she felt the gun being snatched from her, but let it go as she saw it was Aria.

It was difficult to see anything not under the light that continued to very dimly illuminate the middle of the large room. Aria leaned against the walls and slowly moved through the darker parts of the room, hoping not to be seen by Mona or Jason. Her hand holding the gun was shaking, almost to the point where she'd be unable to shoot straight if she attempted. Once she had gotten in line with the back of Jason's head, she started a steady walk to him, he was too engrossed of taking care of a injured and screaming Mona to notice anything. Emily, Spencer, Ezra and Hanna watched as Aria came closer and closer to Jason. She had turned the tables by pressing the barrel of the gun to the back of his head.

She felt him stop his movements as he felt the circular, metal part of the gun press against him. He raised his hands up slowly as if to surrender. Mona fell silent, besides the occasional whimper as Jason's rough, working hands left her leg.

Before Aria was able to form a coherent thought, Jason had grabbed the barrel of the pistol with his raised hands and attempted to tug it from Aria's grasp, prompting her to suddenly pull the trigger. The sound of a gunshot was heard again and Aria screamed after a few seconds in horror of what she had done. The bullet from the gun pierced through Jason's neck; blood rapidly spilled and spurted from the veins and onto the dirtied floor. Everyone turned away and screamed as well.

The images of the dead inmates flashed through her head as she stared at Jason's bloodied body on the floor. The gun dropped from her limp hands as she backed into the dark walls, crying and panting in ballistics. Everyone was dead silent in shock as Mona dragged herself over to Jason's lethargic body and tried to search for a pulse or a heartbeat somewhere, but no beating or breathing was felt from anywhere on him. Jason DiLaurentis was dead.

Ezra rushed to where Aria was, gathering her small frame into his arms and rocking her back and forth. A few tears fell down his cheeks as he heard Aria's sobs wrack through her body. He had no idea what to say. How do you console someone who just killed someone? What would happen to her when people were to find out. He ran his hands through her hair in an attempt to quiet her sobs, which were racketing against the walls of the building.

All the girls, aside from Mona, rushed to Aria's side, patting her and trying to hush her sobs. But it only panicked her further, as she began to shake more furiously in Ezra's arms. Ezra gently pushed them all away as he cocooned Aria in his arms and kissed her temples. He continued to coax her to relax her heart shattering cries.

"I think I should call the cops." He said to the girls as they all paced around the room; all were unsure what to make of dead body in the room and their unstable friend in the arms of their English teacher, which only occurred to them now that it was odd. But the entire night was abnormal, so they weren't in any place to question.

"Good idea-" Emily started.

"Why!? Let's just get out of here." Hanna snapped. All the girls, even Mona but not still hysterical Aria, started at Hanna with questioning looks.

"Because there are injured and dead people in this room. And a gun with your's and Aria's fingerprints on it." Spencer said, trying to remain as calm as possible.

All of the events happened in a matter of moments. In less than a half hour, someone was dead and another was bleeding out, though not severely. The liars and Ezra were shocked out of their wits. Aria was unstable with the thought that she had taken away yet another life, something no amount of apologies or pleading would reverse.

Ezra dug his phone out from his pocket and shakily dialed the police. He stuck the cell between his shoulder and his ear as he re-encased Aria in his arms.

_"9-11, what's your emergency?"_

**I JUST FINISHED SCHOOL TODAY AND I'M HAPPY AS SHIT. Hopefully I'll have more time to finish up this story and start others. I've noticed that a few people wanted me to add more chapters to First Tracks? I uploaded that in like December or January and now it's getting attention. I was just a bit curious if you guys really want that cause it was originally just a fun one shot I had thought up while snowboarding. Eh, anyway, I hope you all liked this chapter cause I sure did. Please review! It means a lot! Let's try to get to 180!**


	21. Chapter 21

Everything happened in a whirlwind of blue and red lights a few minutes after Ezra had called the cops. Within moments, Philadelphia paramedics and police broke through the worn down building door. They immediately rushed to and assisted Mona and Jason; the latter of which was shot dead.

One of the paramedics had cared also to Aria after seeing the smeared droplets of blood on her cheeks and hands. He had wrapped a shock blanket around her shoulders after examining her emotional condition, which from the aftermath, wasn't very stable. The girls had talked for her at the scene when the police arrived. They had told the absolute truth. A was over, they didn't have to lie to protect themselves anymore. They were relieved to be allowed to get everything out without worrying about a backlash.

Ezra was nearby Aria, rubbing her back and trying not to do anything too questionable in front of the police. He was still her teacher, whether she just killed someone or not.

A stocky police officer walked over where Ezra and Aria were sitting on a curb. He flipped open a small notepad and cleared his throat to get Ezra's attention. "Mr. Fitz? I was informed by the young ladies over there that you were kidnapped from your home and held hostage by Ms. Vanderwaal and Mr. DiLaurentis. Is that true?"

Ezra stood up, taking his hand from Aria's back and nodding. "Yes, that it true." He wrung his hands a bit in agitation.

"Can you describe what had happened when you were kidnapped?" The officer asked, readying his pen to jot down his answers.

"It's a little hazy but, there was a knock at my door, I answered it. I had only seen Jason once before this but he stood at my doorstep asking if I was Ezra Fitz, obviously I am. After saying yes, he forced a white cloth against my mouth and nose and I passed out after a few moments of struggling." He answered, rambling more like. He scratched behind his neck as he tried to recall the situation to the best of his ability. If there was anything that scared Ezra, it was being questioned by cops, whether being innocent or not.

"Okay, and do you have a relation to any of these ladies?"

"Yes, I am their English teacher." The officer scribbled that down in his pad and glanced down at Aria, who had finally collected herself after about a half hour of continuous shaking and crying.

"And you were there to witness the shot that killed Mr. DiLaurentis, correct?" Ezra tore his eyes away from the officer's and watched Jason's body, which was placed in a black body bag, being wheeled into the blaring, readied ambulance. Mona was seated on a gurney next to another ambulance, being prepared to be sent to a hospital.

"Yeah, she had only done that out of self defense, by no means did she do that-"

"We know, Mr. Fitz. Thank you for your time." The cop said, shoving his pad into his shirt pocket and turning around to make his way back to the police car. Ezra quickly tapped the man's shoulder to silent get his attention and shot a glance at Aria, who was too distracted at looking at her own shoes.

"What will happen to her?" Ezra asked. The officer took a look at Aria and took a deep breath.

The officer sighed and looked over at Aria, shaking his head. "Seeing it was self defense she does have a good shot at not being called guilty, but that has to be proved. She does have witnesses, but I'm can't be a hundred percent sure. That's for the jury to decide."

"What about Ms. Vanderwaal?" Ezra's eyes darted again to where Mona was also being interrogated by multiple cops. He had no idea what she was up to now, or if her rain of terror was ever going to stop, but he hoped the court case would set everything straight, even Aria's record.

"I don't know son, again, that's for the jury to decide. Stay safe Mr. Fitz."

XxX

The court date was set for a week after the whole incident. Aria's stability was tenuous and she just about refused to stay alone in any place. Even when she couldn't sleep over at Ezra's - which was most nights- she slept in her mom's room or even Mike's. She couldn't live with herself after that. Just when she was getting better, the world had to come crashing down on her like a large anvil on top of her. Like the universe had pulled the rug underneath her and sent her crashing back down on the ground.

Aria would spend most school days staying behind up until the court date came. She could snap down the blinds that covered the doors to Ezra's room and sit on his desk or on his lap, talking occasionally and burying herself in his chest for protection. Therapy started to deteriorate in helpfulness when it came to just about everything. Dr. Sullivan was startled to see her sudden closed off and sheltered state. She was back to mistreating herself, but now not so purposefully. She just became uncaring for herself.

"I'm gonna go to jail. After that trial, you'll be forced to talk to me behind a glass barrier, if you'd even want to stay together. I'll be wearing a orange jumpsuit and probably bruises all over me from other people. Maybe I'll get the electric chair, again." Aria mumbled as her hand gripped Ezra's checkered shirt and wrapped her legs around his waist. Ezra tore his concentrated stare away from the back wall of his darkened classroom and ran his large fingers through Aria's messy hair to get her attention. He cupped her face in his hands and tilted her face to look directly at him. Though her gaze was casted in another direction.

"Aria, you're not going to jail. There's too much evidence against you being guilty. If anyone is going to jail, it's Mona. You have multiple witnesses, including me, who saw everything and are going to back you up, okay? And we are not going to talk about what will happen if you were sent to jail, because it will not happen; I won't let it." He kissed the crown of her head and moved his hands out of her hair and down to her back and waist where they stayed.

Aria sat herself up on Ezra's lap, her body sliding against his hips as he did, eliciting a groan from his mouth. Her lips descended on the corners of his mouth and pecked around the scratchy, stubbly, skin. She loved the sight of his short beard and the feel of it rubbing against her soft cheeks. Her hands curled themselves in his luscious brown locks and tugged at them lightly. He smiled as she did so and stared into her clouded hazel eyes.

"I love you, Ezra." She whispered, getting close to his face so their noses touches against each other's. Ezra's smile slowly disappeared, which made Aria shrink down internally. A few tense moments passed before his one hand pressed against the back of her head and pushed her head down to connect with his lips. Their limbs became tangled in his wheeled leather arm chair as the kiss became more heated and passionate. Abruptly, Ezra pulled back and held Aria's face in place.

"I love you, Aria." He whispered huskily before attacking her lips and neck once more.

XxX

The other girls and Aria had also become much closer since the few nights before. Aria started to spend even less time at home and more time in Emily's house. Venting with the three and reconnecting; it was good for her, they were able to monitor her in case she went to extreme measures again. Spencer had convinced her mother to be their lawyer in the upcoming case. Veronica was hesitant, not knowing if it would be the best bet, but eventually agreed after Spencer's unstoppable pleading.

The only thing Aria was unable to talk about was Ezra, even though they were still curious.

"Seriously, Aria. What is going on with you and Mr. Fitz?" Hanna asked, her eyes narrowed as if she was examining something. Like she was trying to look into Aria's mind for answers.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She lied. Aria nonchalantly picked at her unpainted nails that were apparently more interesting that the brewing conversation.

"C'mon, Aria. You were shaking in Spencer's arms at the picture A sent you. You were worried about him, to the point of tears. And he was cuddling you the moment you were out of Mona's clutches, there's something going on." The blonde pushed. Emily and Spencer nodded along, they too were suspicious about the relationship between their old friend come new and their very attractive English teacher. "And it's the only possible explanation for the hickeys on your neck." She added. Aria's hands flew to her neck and she darted to the nearest mirror in Emily's room.

"Fine, fine. Yes, I may or may not have relations with our English teacher." She reluctantly admitted, knowing she had lost the battle against Hanna to protect her relationship. "But you can not tell anyone. He could loose his job if it gets out." Spencer and Emily's eyes creased and stared at her judgingly, but Hanna's just shimmered in interest, aching for whatever dirt Aria would spill about her rendezvous.

"Someone's hot for teacher." She said smugly, smiling wide.

"Hanna." Spencer scolded, swatting the blonde's shoulder. Hanna's smile faded into a scowl and pointedly glared at Spencer.

Aria was bombarded into going into detail about her and Ezra, though she was limited to what she allowed herself to say, though she exclusively said that nothing sexual had ever happened between them. Hanna, of course had to announce to the group how she remembered that Aria was a virgin, earning another swat and making Aria's cheeks grow redder than ever. Of course she had pondered about what sex would be like with Ezra, but she doubted he would go for it seeing their situation at the moment.

"When did this all happen?" Spencer asked, she had to admit. It was kinda hot to hear about her friend's illegal but otherwise exciting relationship with their teacher. She would never do it herself, but it was kinda intriguing to listen to all the risqué details.

"A few weeks ago, officially. We've sort of had run-ins since I got back and then it just kinda happened."

"So this wasn't an out of the blue thing?" Emily had sparked in interest as well. She crossed her arms and smirked as Aria recounted the days where her and Ezra were basically strangers up until their kiss in his apartment. She sorta put in a few white lies about the night in the bar, it still made her cringe at the thought of Ezra seeing her flat out plastered.

"What are you going to tell your parents?" Emily interrupted suddenly. Aria bit the inside of her cheek and shook her head.

"Honestly, I have no idea. They'll have to find out at some point but I don't know how to say it. But after my dad's affair with his student, I'm not sure how they will take it." She watched the branches of the trees blow in the wind as she tried to imagine her parents reactions. Byron would be furious while simultaneously fueled to kill her and Ezra in a drunken rage. Ella was a little more difficult to determine. It could go any which way; she could be understanding or angry. But Aria sincerely prayed for the former.

"You guys will figure something out. It's the last of high school, once you get out of here it's perfectly legal for you two to be together," Spencer consoled. She wasn't too fond of the idea of Aria possibly getting into more trouble with the police, and dragging down Ezra into it, but she was glad that she was happy and he was able to help her. That was all that mattered.

"The trial is tomorrow, are you nervous?" Hanna put into question. Aria was beyond nervous, how would she be able to get up there and explain everything that happened that night. Someone was dead because of her. Someone with thoughts and feelings, emotions and memories and a whole lifetime left to live. If only things had happened a little differently. If only Aria hadn't pulled that trigger out of pure fear.

"Yeah, I'm a little nervous." She answered, running her hands over her thighs as Ezra would, hoping to calm herself down.

"We're going to try and get Mona to confess to killing Ali and clear your name." Spencer said. "I'm going to the jail and meeting with Mona before the trial."

"How will you ever get her to admit it? We aren't her best friends." Aria replied.

"I don't know, but I'll find a way. It's the least I can do." There was a glimmer of shame in Spencer's dark brown eyes as she looked at Aria without breaking contact. Aria gave her a small smile and rested her head on her shoulder. Not much was said after that, only the sound of rapid winds rushing though Emily's open window.

**Wow I don't know what happened with all the paragraphs which all morphed into one but I apologize! I'm only going to have maybe 3-4 chapters left of this story and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Two chapters in two days! And this one's longer than the rest! Thank god summer's finally here!**

Aria fidgeted around in the black dress that didn't exactly fit right around her scrawny frame. Her arms were bare, clearly displaying her cuts and scars to the world. It felt odd to have this part of her body out in the open, it was always the part of her most kept hidden. She tried on sweaters to put over her but those seemed to only go down to just her elbow, which didn't help much. But she was thankful for the pantyhose on her legs.

Sighing to herself, she disregarded how horrifying she looked and swiped a bit of black eyeliner on her eyelids before heading downstairs, where her mother was waiting. Ella gave a half hearted smile and led her outside to the car. The ride to the court house was silent, the only noise were the thoughts in Aria's brain as she tried to relax herself and think things through. She recited answers to questions in her head that Ezra said the judges might ask.

The Hastings had already arrived by the time Aria and her mother pulled up. They had arrived early so they had enough time to get situated and not be late; it was also a suggestion by Veronica. Spencer had worn a dress much similar to Aria's and the rest of the girls. Veronica snuck a look at her watch and held her briefcase tightly in her hand. She tapped each of the chattering girls shoulders and ushered them over for a small pep talk before the official trial began.

"You girls did nothing wrong." She started, looking especially at Aria who looked as pale and nerve-wracked as ever. "Just go up there when the judge calls you and tell the absolute truth. There is nothing that Mona can do to you four anymore." She patted Aria's shoulder and stood up straight, smoothing out her grey suit. All the girls knew that Mona had nothing else up her sleeve anymore. Her anonymous mask was stripped from her and what she had done was out in the open. There's nothing she could do without consequence.

Ezra was probably the last to arrive, he wasn't late but he surely also wasn't one to arrive fifteen minutes early like Ella and Aria. He fumbled with his navy blue tie and shoved his hands into the pockets of his black slacks. He strided over to where Ella and the rest of the parents were to avoid suspicion if he had went over to Aria first. He shot Aria a small comforting smile as he observed her outfit while also her jittery movements.

"Ezra? What are you doing here?" Ella asked. Of course, she knew Ezra, coworkers at Rosewood High and all.

"I'm testifying for Aria. I was at the scene of the crime; the bait for the girls as Mona called it." He slightly phrased the last part in a joking manner, but after seeing Ella's shocked expression probably from the thought of him getting hurt from the crazy fiasco, his small smile disappeared.

"You didn't get hurt did you?" Ashley Marin commented, butting in suddenly to the two coworkers conversation. Ezra quickly reassured the mother's that he was okay and hurriedly excused himself over to the girls.

"Girls." He greeted awkwardly. He nervously shoved his hands back into his pockets. It was strange to think that he was closer in age to the women he was standing in front of rather than their parents. Well, it was a good thing anyway due to the fact he was dating one of the said women.

"Mr. Fitz," The girls all said in a unison. When Ezra turned around shortly, Spencer nudged Aria lightly, smirking. Aria widened her eyes as to silence Spencer's wordless teasing. There was general small talk between the group and their teacher, up until a certain someone stepped out of an old looking vehicle with a certain blonde woman attached at his hip. Aria's sentence faltered as she was in the middle of her sentence and she instinctively gripped Ezra's hand, which seemed to startle him.

Byron Montgomery walked up to where Ella and the rest of the mother's were. Ella seemed to have said something snappy to her ex-husband, making him snarl and mistakenly make eye contact with Aria as he whipped his head around. Aria dropped Ezra's hand in worry as he began to walk over.

"We should go inside." Ezra stepped a little bit behind the group of teenagers and stood near Aria, his hand placed lightly against her back. He sensed her body become rigid as they all became trapped in the walls of the court house and with her abusive father not far behind them.

Aria tried to calm down her racing breathing as memories from the previous trial those three years ago flashed in her head. That was when everyone was against her instead of with her. She hoped and prayed that the judge wouldn't be the same one as the one she had before, but she knew pretty well it was a slim chance that it wouldn't be. She felt Veronica pat her shoulder lightly again and the woman's words echoed though her mind, calming her down a slight bit.

Spencer, Emily, Hanna, and Ezra were seated in the witness chairs. Aria and Veronica sat in the seats behind a table full of files and notes, almost identical to the one across the room where Mona, the remaining members of the DiLaurentis family and their lawyer, Mr. Wolfe, were. The two lawyers met in the middle of the room and shook hands, though the one defending the DiLaurentis' seemed a bit intimidated under Mrs. Hastings' stare.

The room was full of chatter from the jury, but the only sound present in Aria's mind was her breathing and her rapid heart beat. She swore her heart was pounding at a million a minute at the moment the bailiff got everyone's attention with his raucous voice.

"All rise, the court is now in session. The honorable Judge Gerald M. Forbes presiding." He spoke. Everyone in the room stood and watched the judge walk into the room and take his seat in the high up chair.

The bailiff then handed a file to the judge, announcing the case to the judge and jury. "Montgomery vs. DiLaurentis in the prosecution of Ms. Aria Montgomery." The judge nodded and thanked the bailiff.

"Are both sides ready?" The judge asked. The lawyers nodded. He allowed Veronica to go first. She had fought hard with the lawyer from the other side. She had all the facts needed to prove to everyone in the room that Aria was innocent and the shooting was just part of self defense. The things that none of the girls expected, though, was when she pulled out a large pile of papers, compiling of years of their text message records from an anonymous source. The judge flipped through the pages, scanning the texts and pictures.

Aria's heart nearly lurched out of her throat when the papers were given. It was certain that the pictures of her and Ezra were given to the judge. Soon enough, the man stared pointedly at Ezra and directed his index finger in his direction. "Who is this man to these girls?"

"He is their English teacher, your honor." Veronica said. She stiffened up at bit as if she knew exactly what he was looking at and glanced back at Aria. The judge snorted and place the array of papers down.

"And Ms. Vanderwaal and Mr. DiLaurentis confessed to sending these taunting text messages to these girls?" The case went on for a while, the two lawyers bickering on and on continuously for the while they were stuck there. Finally, when their sides were explained, the judge began to swear in witnesses, first starting with Aria.

She nervously stepped up to the witness stand, raising her right hand and swearing to the court to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. Mr. Wolfe began to ask Aria questions about the night she had shot Jason and even brought up Alison, something that made her cringe. The lawyer on Mona and Jason's side seemed to get even more angered when it came to asking questions and when Veronica came up with more evidence to bring down his side and to raise up her's.

Though her face remained stony emotionless throughout the trial, Spencer could tell her mother was having the time of her life defending and winning so far. It was what Veronica was the best at; she had yet to loose a case in all her years. Spencer knew that this was what her mother loved to do most. She loved the adrenaline rushing through the room as the tension built and things began to get heated.

They had called up all of the witnesses, except Spencer, who suggested she went last. Going up and swearing to tell the truth, she brought up a point after Mr. Wolfe had ran out of questions that had been avoided even though it was something to be recognized by the jury and judge.

"Along with her confessions for torturing us, Ms. Vanderwaal also confessed to the murder of Alison DiLaurentis, something she admitted she framed Aria Montgomery of doing three years ago. Aria was admitted to a prison where she was mercilessly beaten and tested on against her will after she was wrongly accused of being guilty of the murder. I would know because I was the one forced by Mona into framing her." Spencer commented into the microphone on the stand. She turned to look at Aria who was shielding her face and arms while looking mortified as all the eyes in the room switched to her body only covered in the thin dress.

"Do you have any evidence that Ms. Vanderwaal did kill Ms. DiLaurentis?" Mr. Wolfe asked. He seemed appalled as the gallery began to fill with conversation. The judge didn't seem to care for Spencer's outburst but decided to stay quiet for the time being.

"If you check back at the texts directed to Spencer and Aria, you can see how some of them point some fingers to the fact that Aria was not responsible. As though telling them again that the sender of these messages, Mona, was the real person responsible." Veronica interjected and hushed her daughter before she was about to speak on behalf of her friends.

The judge studied the papers with the texts. "Do you have anymore questions for Ms. Hastings, Mr. Wolfe?" The lawyer shook his head ruefully and gritted his teeth. The judge slammed his his gavel against the table, grabbing everyone's attention who's wasn't on him already. "Calling Mona Vanderwaal back to the witness stand." He bellowed, watching the short brunette stand up and solemnly walking to the other side of the room.

"At the scene of the crime, Mona, did you or did you not confess to the murder of Alison DiLaurentis?" Mrs. Hastings asked, crossing her arms across her chest. The room turned completely silent. The few moments in which Mona stayed quiet, thinking about confessing or contemplating an excuse were quiet enough to be able to hear a pin drop.

"I did. I confessed to the murder that night." She admitted. The sound of a bunch of papers slamming against the wooden table was heard and the DiLaurentis' lawyer was reprimanded for his insubordination when he threw the manila folder to the table in sudden rage. The judge again whacked his gavel against the table and began to speak once more.

"We're going to take a fifteen minute recess while the jury reviews all of the given information. Court adjourned." He spoke gravelly. The judge stood up, taking the files on his table with him, and exited the room.

Everyone took a breath of relief and Ezra shot a reassuring look to Aria when she stretched out her tensed up body. Veronica faced all of the girls and sighed thankfully. "I think we may have a good shot at winning this case. But I'm not positive if they will be able to arrest Mona." The other side of the room which was the side where Mona and Mr. and Mrs. DiLaurentis were, looked awfully scared and concerned for the verdict to be announced.

A few minutes passed and chatter began to rise, mostly with the gallery gossiping about the possible outcomes. The jury joined together and had hushed conversations, tossing around information brought up during the trial. Aria yearned to just sit next to Ezra and have his arms around her. But she knew things would come into question then. The judge and Mrs. Hastings were sure to have seen the photos if it were on the text records.

"Relax, Aria. There is no way you are going to jail. There's too much evidence that we have against Mona that proves our point." Spencer consoled, rubbing Aria's dress covered leg reassuringly.

The fifteen minutes ran up and everyone in the room was on edge as the judge cleared his throat and sat down in his big leather chair. Only the sounds of coughing and pears rustling were heard through the near silent court room. Everyone in the room was anxious to hear the verdict; from Aria and Veronica to the people in the gallery.

"Does the jury have their verdict?" Judge Forbes asked. One jury member stood up, a tall and lanky man with short cut brown hair. He licked his lips and straightened his tie, nodding to the judge.

"We, the jury, find the defendant to be not guilty." Everyone again stayed silent, Aria took a breath of relief and sat back down in her chair. She buried her head into her hands with a thankful sigh and a sense of solace. Everyone else in the room either stressed their defeat or celebrating victory silently.

The jury stayed silent about Mona, which shocked Aria and the other girls. A few whispers were heard around the room.

"Alright, case closed." The judge ordered, slamming the gavel again, sending the loud sound of wood against wood around the room. He stepped down from his chair and out of the room again, leaving the people to their business.

Mona might not have been tried, but Aria was just thankful for now that she was innocent. She wished she was able to jump into Ezra's waiting arms and kiss him senselessly. But he just stood there, gazing lovingly at Aria while also shaking Ella's and Veronica's hands.

"C'mon, Aria. You two can meet up later. Hanna said as she gripped Aria's shoulders and walked her out of the room. Aria shrugged herself away from Hanna's grip quickly, though. All eyes were on her as she walked out of the courtroom, her friends in tow. It just felt all too familiar to have hands on her as she walked. She felt the collective stares of the DiLaurentis' and Mona on her as she went out of the room.

Aria reveled in the coolness of the air against her body and a sense of guilt the size of an anvil lifted off of her shoulders. She stared off into the distance behind the court house and waved away her friends as she strolled the side of the large building. She sat down in the grass by a small dip in the green land that went down to the street.

Her head shook as she thought about if the outcomes had been different and if she hadn't been so lucky. Being hauled out of the room with her hands behind her back a second time would not be the best for her. And she was glad her friends were there to comfort her and testify her innocence. She didn't know what she would have done without them.

"Aria?" A deep voice was heard close behind her, shattering her train of thought. But she was glad when she realized that the deep tone belonged to Ezra. She turned around and stood up to match him. Even though the top of her head only came up to his well chiseled chin, she didn't want him sitting down.

"I'm so glad you were here." She whispered, leaning her head to his chest and relaxing to the sound of his steadily beating heart.

His hands came down to rest on her back and in her hair. He turned his eyes to see if anyone was watching before leaning down and kissing the top of her head.

Aria's hands wound around his waist and she picked up her head up to look at him more closely than before. He had shaved, which disappointed her a bit; she loved his scruffy look. His hair was neatly combed, which was one of the first for him. His outfit made him look more like a man, with just his baby blue dress shirt and a striped vest. His very fitted slacks made her smile like the morning of school he had worn them.

"I love you, Ezra." She said, moving one hand up to his cheek and lightly cupping it. The calloused pads of her fingers burned against the small amount of stubble that was beginning to grow back on his face. He smiled widely and pulled her body in a little closer to his.

"Oh, do you now?" He said cheekily. Aria mockingly gaped and narrowed her eyes to slits.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Her face slowly inched closer to his, initiating what she wanted from him.

"Well, I guess I love you too." Before she was able to retort back, he eagerly pressed his lips against her, seeking her warmth. Aria clutched the soft fabric of his shirt and snaked her hand from his scratchy cheek to his neck. Her fingers toyed with the baby hairs on the back of his neck as they both kissed with equal vigor.

They threw all of their caution to the wind when Aria backed Ezra up into the wall of the court house with their lips still attached. She was so glad to have him this close to her finally. All the doubt she had built up through out the hours they spent in the court room had washed away the minute their lips collided. He made her feel brand new. She came into the town as a shaking girl ridden with guilt, and now walked out of the court room those few moments ago, feeling like a new person. He had an impact on her life like no other person she had ever met in her life. And she was positive that she would let no one change that.

"Aria?"

**Ooohhh who could it be? Who caught them in the act? Gotta wait till next chapter though! This chapter was more than 3000 words and I'm pretty proud of myself cause this was a good chapter. I hope you guys liked it as much as I like it. All that court research was worth it! Reviews are always appreciated and help the spark in me going!**


	23. Chapter 23

_"Aria?"_

Aria ripped her lips away from Ezra's at the sound of the voice that was calling her. She would know the voice saying her name from anywhere, but now she wished she didn't. At that exact moment, she wished that she and Ezra could fade into thin air and disappear. Her kissing Ezra in the back of a court house definitely wasn't they way she wanted Ella to find out about them.

"Mom..." She started, taking her hands off of Ezra and dropping them to her sides. Just looking at Ella, things were not looking too good. Her mother wore a expression of shock and disgust on her face. "Okay, it's not what it looks like." Everyone says that when they get caught doing exactly what it looks like, but what was she supposed to say?

Ezra stayed pressed up to the wall. He couldn't tear his eyes away from his coworkers fiery expression. For a tiny woman, she could surely be intimidating; she and Aria were definitely related. But it wasn't until Byron swung over from behind the corner, Meredith in tow, that things started to get worse.

"What's going on here?" He asked gruffly, his bloodshot eyes darting between Aria and Ezra. There was a quiet tension that slowly built with each second that Aria and a Ezra remained silent. Aria didn't even know where to start when it came to explaining her terribly illegal but also incredibly meaningful and important relationship with her teacher to her already angry mom and possibly drunk father.

"Me and Ezra are together." Aria said nervously. She took a few steps closer to him and wrapped her arm to his waist. His body remained frozen in place out of fear of just about everything. "I love him."

Byron only stepped closer to the couple as he detached his hands from Meredith's body. The look in his eyes did not look the most welcoming and Aria panicked for the safety of her and Ezra.

"Dad, stop!" She yelled, stepping in front of Ezra and attempting to protect his body with her's.

"Get out of my way, you worthless mistake." Byron growled, his eyes didn't move from his fixed focus on Ezra. His hands though, shoved Aria away from her boyfriend and onto the grassy floor. Ezra attempted to defend Aria after hearing Byron's words and remembering what this man had done to her that had sent her sprinting to his apartment. But the only thing it earned him was a socking to the face.

Ella had rushed over to help Aria up after witnessing Byron manhandling her and pushing her to the ground. She brushed off the grass and dirt that had flown onto her dress when she was pushed roughly to the ground. Aria watched helplessly from the floor as her father attempted to beat Ezra to a pulp after the initial punch. Ezra refused to fight back though, knowing it would end him in a deeper mess than he was already in.

"Byron, stop!" Ella screamed, letting go of her daughter and practically ripping Byron off of Ezra. Ezra sputtered and heaved as the poundings to his body had stopped. Blood droplets had come out of his mouth and into the dirt as he coughed harshly. Before Ella was even able to ask if he was alright, Aria rushed to his side and wiped away the small bits of blood that was on the corners of his lips.

"Are you okay?" She breathed worriedly. Her hands brushed over his arms and midsection where he had taken the most beatings from her father. Byron stood behind Ella and Aria, whom were kneeling over Ezra. He scoffed at their care and sympathy for the man and turned around, muttering vulgar words as he and Meredith left the scene.

Ezra nodded, pulling himself up into a sitting position to be eye to eye with the two girls. "I'm fine, thank you," He coughed. Aria and Ella stood up and waited for Ezra to calm and do the same.

They two said their goodbye's to Ezra, Aria's more apologetic and meaningful and Ella's more suddenly distant and unemotional once she knew he was alright. They walked to Ella's car in complete quiet, and like the ride to the court house, the one back to their apartment was silent as well. Aria's mother didn't even dare look or speak to Aria throughout the few minutes they spent in the car.

Once she successfully made it into the apartment alive, made a full dash to her room, not wanting to be in her mother's presence while she was still digesting the information that was thrown at her like a bucket of cold water. Aria held her phone in her hand as she paced around her room with Ezra's contact pulled up on the screen. She thought about calling him, but then if her mother overheard, who knows what would happen. Aria settled on a simple text.

_We're going to be okay - Ar_

There was no response from Ezra but there was a knock at her closed door moments later. There were only two possible people it could be, and she just hoped it wasn't who she thought it was. Well, her prayers were not answered as Ella stood at the entrance of her room. Her lips were in a straight, serious line and she had her infamous "I know what you've done" face on.

"I want you to explain everything about you and Mr. Fitz before I think about calling the police."

"Mom, please. Don't call the police; think of what will happen to him." Aria downright pleaded. She was ready to drop to her knees and kiss her mother's feet just to persuade her not the get the authorities involved. But Ella's face remained unchanged as her daughter begged.

"The explain."

So she did. She started at the beginning. The whole tutoring gig at The Brew and how he saw all the stares everyone gave her there. She talked about when things got a little crazy at Snookers and Ezra had taken her to his apartment to make sure she was safe. She didn't remember much about the night, only waking up hours later with a pounding head, swirling internal organs, and no sense of where she was.

"I promise, nothing happened that night. He just wanted to make sure nothing would have happened to me if he were to leave." Ella just nodded, still no change in exterior expression.

She talked about Byron nearly plunging a broken glass bottle into her neck and how she had ran to Ezra for safety. She further explained how he didn't know about Alison at the time and she felt like she wasn't being judged around him because he had no idea. Aria went into detail about how they started their relationship without really classifying it or clearly figuring everything out before it officially began; it just happened how it did. She even told about their "date" that was at The Brew and they got to know all of the unnecessary information about the other that somehow mattered anyway.

Finally she came to the present and how he really loved her. How she depended on him as a person she could put all of her trust in. He was really her lifeline. She didn't know where she'd be if he hadn't swooped into her life and suddenly made things worthwhile. She found herself smiling a bit as she talked about the nights he would comfort her and even be there if she had woken up from the nightmares that Ella knew too well in the middle of the night; whether if she in his apartment or not.

"Were you lying to me when you would say you were going to Emily's or Hanna's for a sleepover?" Ella asked, cocking an eyebrow and trying unsuccessfully to wipe the small smile she had growing herself. Hearing about Aria suddenly being so happy made her a little empathetic, even if the person making her so happy was her teacher. Ella knew she'd rather have Aria happy and with Ezra than the way she was when she first came home. She barely wanted to leave the bed at the time.

"Only sometimes. I really would go to sleepovers with them some nights. But I swear nothing more than kissing ever happens when I go over to his place." Ella nodded again. She got up and hugged her daughter lightly.

"I still have to think this over, Aria. I don't like how this all played out today but I'm glad you told the truth about everything." Ella said, sighing a bit at the thought of Aria's teacher, someone she had formed a small crush on, kissing and holding her daughter. "I don't know how your father is going to react once he knows everything and is sober; probably not better than he did before when he just saw you two together, but we'll see." Aria just agreed, remembering how her father had nearly broken bones in Ezra's body when he just saw him near Aria. With that, Ella left the room, leaving Aria to just wonder what would happen next.

A repetitive buzzing was heard underneath her thigh, where she had hidden her cell phone in case her mother had seen it and decided to confiscate it. Her body grew tense and cold as she thought of A, or Mona. But the feeling soon disintegrated at she remembered Mona could be put in jail in an instant if they decided to press charges. Ezra's name blinked on the screen of the phone, eliciting a chuckle from Aria as the photo she out up for his contact was also placed on the screen.

"Hello?"

"How did she take it?" Ezra asked, worry laced his voice and Aria realized it wasn't time to joke around like usual.

"Not terribly. She's probably not going to call the cops but I'd be wary of my dad if I were you." A sigh was heard on the other end and the static like sound of him changing the phone's position.

"Trust me, I knew to stay away the moment I saw the cuts on you that day." There was a silence after he spoke, they both reminisced to the time where looking back, everything seemed easier than it was now. They didn't have to deal with A or the fear that now Ezra might go to jail. "So what's next? Everyone who needs to know about us knows, we don't exactly have your mother's blessing but at least she didn't beat me up like your dad."

"I don't know, but I'm sure we can work something out-" The door to Aria's room opened again and Ella walked in without even knocking. She froze when she saw Aria was on the phone. Aria brought the phone down from her ear and covered the speaker.

"Is it Ezra?" Ella asked. She didn't look upset in the slightest as Aria said yes. "Tell him to come over, we have talking to do."

* * *

No later than ten minutes, there was a light pounding on the wooden door to the apartment. Aria immediately rushed up from her seat in the kitchen and answered the door.

Ezra didn't seem to have changed out of clothes, the only thing was he didn't have his tie on. To be honest, hearing his girlfriend say that her mother wanted to talk did not sit right with him. What was he supposed to wear to his technically illegal girlfriend's house when her mother was going to possibly get him arrested if he didn't give the right answers? He didn't know the answer to that, so he just went with was he was already in.

"Ezra, thank you for coming." Ella disregarded the pot of coffee she was brewing up and forced a smile on her face before shaking his hand.

"Thank you for inviting me, you have a lovely home." He looked around the very small apartment, not much bigger than his. This all seemed surreal; Ella was acting as of she never saw them kissing and he was still her innocent looking, young coworker.

"No I don't." She quipped. "But thank you, sit down. The three of us have a lot of talking to do." Ezra seated himself next to Aria on the sofa placed in the middle of the room. Ella, holding two coffee mugs, handed them both to Aria and Ezra before taking a seat herself. There was a few moments of silence before Ella spoke again and she reveled in Ezra's awkwardness towards her.

"I heard Aria's side of the story, now I want to hear yours." Ella said finally. Ezra gulped and wrung his hands a bit, he wanted to hold Aria's but knew that might not be the best idea. He collected all of his thoughts, which were now scrambled all over the place thanks to his constant worrying. He cleared his throat nervously before he began.

"Okay, I guess it all started at the coffee shop, when I was tutoring her..." Ezra had just about recounted everything up the moment they were in now about their relationship. He didn't sugar coat it or try to lie about anything. He poured his heart out to the women, mostly Aria. Some parts he had spoken about had made him subconsciously smile along with her.

Aria stared up lovingly at him as Ezra talked about their relationship. She was blushing when he brought up the time she was drunk and falling all over the place apparently when he tried to get her into his apartment.

"I-I didn't do anything sexual with her or took advantage of her that night. I was scared that if I just left, she would have been by other men. I know it was probably wrong to take her to my place, but she passed out in my car and I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if she got hurt." He confessed, Aria wound her arms around his bicep and leaned her head on his muscly arm as she listen to his mesmerizing voice speak.

"Have you _ever_ done anything sexual with Aria?" Ella asked, crossing her arms.

"No no, never. I know it would land me in deeper trouble if anyone were to find out." It would be a lie if Ezra were to say he hadn't thought about it. Though, they had never even breached the topic yet.

"Good; let's keep it that way." Ella said dryly. "Now, I don't like this." She motioned her pointer finger between the two lovers. "This is dangerous for the both of you, but I see how you've effected my daughter's life in a very positive way. The past months haven't been easy for her but I realize that the reason she has gotten better was because of you. I want you to know that it will be awhile until she is fully healed emotionally. And I want to be assured that you won't abandon her."

"I would never abandon her, Ella." Ezra confirmed, now gaining the courage to wrap his arm around Aria's shoulders. "I love her."

"Good. Again, I don't condone this, but I will not be taking the same stance as Byron's."

"So you won't be punching me in the face?" Ezra joked, rubbing his one cheek where the initial punch was taken. A small blue and purple bruise and formed where Byron's knuckles collided with his cheek. That made Ella smile and laugh a bit.

"No, I will not." The tension that surrounded the room soon faded away as they became more comfortable around each other and continued bantering about their relationship and other topics. After a while, it had grown late and Ezra left their small apartment for his own. Though he wished Aria could come with him, he refrained from asking.

Ella and Aria were left to clean out the empty coffee mugs and think about what had gone on. Both if them had a lot to think about.

"Thank you for listening to us Mom." Aria said as she wiped a dish towel on the inside of a mug to dry out the water.

"It was only fair for me to do that. I didn't know how to react at first and acting on impulses didn't seem like the best thing to do." She leaned on the side of the counter and waited until her daughter was done cleaning.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, and no more lying okay?"

**Alright, so Ella now knows about them and (sorta) allows them to be together. I didn't know how to end this chapter so I apologize for it being a little crappy. This story is slowly coming to an end as there are only 2 more chapters left! I hope you guys have enjoyed it because i know I have.**

**Okay, who watched last nights episode because ****_oh my god. _****Andrew came back and I love him so much! The whole rat poison thing confused me but I'm sorta understanding why it would be important. But most importantly ****_EZRIA MY GOD._**** Ezra and his freakin' checkers and cards and then the whole "favorite shirt" thing, I died. What did you think? I can not wait for next week also. Ezria sex ;)**


	24. Chapter 24

Aria hugged the cold pillow to her face as she listened to Spencer speak to her. It was just the two of them in Spencer's room, or the entire house for that fact. They were talking, eating and just reconnecting with each other, they needed it. Ella had put a lenient rule against sleepovers at Ezra's since their discussion, but Ella could tell that sometimes she had managed to slip to his place and pretended to not notice. It was safe to say that her friendship with Spencer had solidified and strengthened and her relationship with Ezra was for the most part saved.

"So how did your mom take it? I know she caught you two in the act." Spencer asked, popping a pretzel into her mouth as she snatched a pillow from her bed and rested her head against it.

"Not as bad as I thought. But my dad literally beat him up when he found out. You saw that bruise on his cheek today in class."

"That was your dad? I had thought that was something I overlooked from that night." Spencer remembered during class when Mr. Fitz had walked in with that purple mark on his cheek. Everyone was talking about what they thought might have happened.

Aria just nodded and sighed. She plucked a potato chip from the bowls they had laid out and crunched on it as silence surrounded them. They hadn't had a real sleepover with each other for a long time. Probably longer than they could even remember.

"Do you want to go to bed?" Spencer asked, watching Aria's eyes droop slightly as she stared off into the walls of the room. Aria shook her head and took a long sip of the Dr. Pepper she had placed next to her, hoping the impractical amounts of sugar in it would keep her up. The other times Aria had slept over with the other girls helped her understand whys she did not want to. It would break her heart each time Aria would wake up in sweat and tears.

"C'mon. We're moving this sleepover to the living room. Let's watch Mean Girls and get our minds off things they shouldn't be on." Spencer said, trying to lighten the mood a bit. She lightly grabbed Aria's hand and her soda and led her downstairs.

Soon through the movie and all the laughter between the two girls, it dawned two in the morning and Aria let the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion take over her. The voices on the television just turned into mumbles as she felt a blanket being put over her body and the popcorn now she had on her lap being taken off.

XxX

She did have one nightmare that night, though it wasn't as bad as the last ones she had through the week. Spencer had hugged her close as she called Ezra and he was able to talk her into relaxing and going back to sleep. Spencer could hear his voice through the speaker and felt a twinge of jealously that Aria had someone that would break their regular sleeping patterns in order to comfort her and not blink an eye. But she was thankful that Ezra was in Aria's life. He had also helped her by helping Aria. If Aria had never healed the way she was now or had died from another attempt, Spencer didn't know how she'd live with herself. Seeing her recovering was a gift as was her forgiveness.

"I love you, Ezra." Aria whispered weakly into her phone. The cellular device was slightly trembling in her hand as held it to her ear. Spencer rested her chin lightly on Aria's head and rubbed her arms soothingly until she was finished talking.

"I love you too, Aria. Try and get some sleep, okay? I'll see you soon." He responded, his scratchy deep voice emitting from the speaker of the phone. Spencer could understand why he was so good at calming her down. His voice was hypnotizing and so calm. It didn't change in tone or intensity unless it needed to.

"I'll see you soon." Aria said. After a few quick moments of silence, she pressed the end button and slowly leaned back into Spencer's pulled up legs. "I'm not falling back asleep. It's almost six-thirty and Hanna wants us at her place in two hours. She wants this done as soon as possible."

"Are you ready?" Spencer asked, taking her chin off of Aria's head and looking at her in the eyes.

"Ready for this all to be officially over? Yeah, I just don't really want to be there when you guys turn her in and whatever. I don't want to see her face." Aria gently broke away from Spencer's grasp and fell on her side onto the couch, nestling a pillow in her arms.

"Why? After she watched you hauled up to Ravenswood, why shouldn't you watch her be hauled to jail. Even if we can't get her in jail for murder, we definitely can for stalking and harassment." Spencer said, slightly taken back that Aria wouldn't want to see Mona being dragged in handcuffs off to a prison. That she wouldn't want to be there for the glorious moment when they forced Mona into a horrible orange jumpsuit and shoved her into a cell.

"Would that make me any better than she was? Reveling in the moment when we got our revenge. I don't want to be put down as a witness either if there is any sort of trial. You three were the ones who had more experience. Everything I would talk about would be already on the text records." Spencer just nodded in acknowledgment.

"Hold on, I'm making coffee." Spencer said, patting Aria's shoulder.

* * *

Just a few hours later, Aria and Spencer had made it to Hanna's house to discuss the situation. Apparently Emily had decided to sleep over at the Marin's because they were both still groggy and in their pajamas when the other two arrived.

"Okay, so what do we have that can put Mona in jail?" Hanna asked. She sat on her unmade bed with Aria and Emily while Spencer was seated in the chair by her desk.

"We have the texts records which clearly show that she was harassing us and stalking on us. She has to have some sort of place where she and Jason plotted everything. It wasn't like they could do it in their houses or in broad daylight. So if we can get it out of her, everything they need will be in there." Spencer explained. All the girls shook their heads in agreement and discussed other ideas for what to say to the cops and explaining what would go on.

"Wait, what's that person called who types everything said in court?" Hanna questioned again.

"A stenographer." Aria informed.

"Yeah, that. Aren't Mona's confessions that she made in court in those records? If we get those then that's all we would need to put her straight into jail." She said. All the girls glanced back and forth at each other as though one of them would have a response for Hanna.

"Yeah, that would work too if we can get our hands on them." Spencer said, adjusting herself on the chair. The rest of the morning was planning and mindless chatter about Mona finally being put in jail and the whole fiasco coming to an end.

Aria had to explain to Hanna and Emily she would not be joining them in their journey to the police station and being there to see Mona pushed into a cop car with her hands behind her back. Emily was understanding as always, but Hanna was a little more shocked.

"I thought you would be the most excited to bask in the glory of freedom, Aria. She framed you and sent you off to meet your end."

"Hanna." Spencer scolded. Hanna apologized reluctantly and rolled her eyes at Spencer.

Emily checked her cell phone quickly and nodded to the two other girls. "We'll see you soon, Aria. We should be going to the station as soon as possible if we want this done today."

"Bye Aria." Spencer whispered, quickly hugging the small brunette as she started to get up and leave the room.

"Next time you see us, we'll be on the news!" Hanna cheered. The remaining girls gave her strange looks as the blonde gasped in realization and immediately lunged for her makeup table.

The heels of Aria's shoes clacked against the concrete sidewalks as she walked home. Her entire mind was solely on the thought of Mona and Jason. She didn't stop being horrible about Jason the moment she was declared not guilty, but the people surrounding her were very good at distracting her. Now that she was alone with the empty streets of Rosewood and her own thoughts, the images and memories she had of Jason darted through her mind and scrambled up everything else she tried to focus on.

It was so similar to the moment in the sanitarium when she killed the other criminal. The loud bang of the bone against table and the gun shot was nearly the same. The sight of blood puddling around the person and seeping into their clothing and skin. The way their faces slowly drained of color and emotion was chilling. The sight of dead people never seemed to register as normal no matter how many she saw.

The piercing sound of tires screaming against the gravel was heard as Aria tried to cross the street absentmindedly. She nearly fell over in shock as the car came within inches of colliding with her body and nearly sending her flying into the road. The person in the car didn't seem so pleased either as he shook an angry fist at her.

When she finally reached her home sweet home in Ella's apartment, her mother was no where to be found; Mike didn't seem to be anywhere as well. She didn't bother calling their names as she checked each room in the very tiny apartment. Aria just rested on her bed and contemplated calling Ezra. She knew he was at home, grading papers and that she'd be seeing him later. She couldn't call him, she didn't want to disrupt what he was doing for the second time today. But being alone was the last thing she wanted to do. It would only lead to horrible things happening.

Against her better judgement, she denied herself the access to her phone and put it away. Her hands ran over and stretched the skin on her face to wake her up as she felt her eyes start to close and her body start to relax on the blankets of her bed.

"No no no..." She whispered as she stood up. She didn't want to have a nap then have to call Ezra in case she had a nightmare. She didn't want to have to disturb him when he was working. Aria padded into her shared bathroom and stripped herself of her clothing. She didn't dawdle and spend time staring and chastising every inch of her marred body. Instead, she stepped into the tub and started the shower. She hummed in satisfaction as the hot streams of water met her skin and almost immediately untightened her body from it's original rigid state.

She washed her knotty hair and cleaned herself before grabbing the razor from the top shelf. Aria turned the water off and sat on the edge of the tub as she spread soap all along her legs. The razor smoothly glided on her thin legs, until she looked away for a split second to grab a towel and felt a sharp stinging sensation run up her leg. She tore the razor away from her skin and tried to suppress a whimper as blood trickled down her leg from out of a inch or so long cut.

She tried to calm herself and bring herself back to the present as she just sat there stunned. Aria couldn't tear her eyes away from her calf as the blood ran down it and coated the white tub with it's crimson color.

Using the towel she grabbed when she had foolishly looked away, she wrapped it around her bleeding leg and limped to the cabinet where Ella kept the bandages. The first thing she could find was a gauze wrap and decided that was good enough.

After finally collecting her courage and mopping the blood from her leg, she wrapped the gauze tight around her leg and tied it so it would stay; a dot of the bright red liquid formed on the outer layer of gauze where the cut lay. She trembled and felt close to fainting as she washed the excess few drops of blood down the drain.

She quickly dried her body off and clothed herself to keep from thinking about the cut or the blood. Just the sight made her want to throw up. The stinging in her leg didn't stop for a while.

A few hours later she was still resting on her bed, staring up at the white ceiling of her room. Ella had come home and a couple hours before and examined Aria's cut. It was no longer bleeding, but Aria could nearly taste the metallic sort of flavor it had just from the sight. Just looking at anything bloody now made her queasy.

"Aria! Come out here!" Ella called. Her voice sounded sort of up beat and Aria couldn't guess why. She hobbled out of her room to see her mother standing in front of the television screen, watching the news. Aria didn't understand until she saw a camera pan to a police car and a small brunette girl was hauled into it. It took a minute for her to register that it was Mona. She could have swore she saw Mona stare straight into the camera at the last second she was on screen, but it could have been Aria's on edge mind putting pictures into her head.

With a final sigh, she sat next to her mother as the girls came onto the screen to discuss the matter. But their words were drowned out by Aria's louder thoughts. "It's over."

**This isn't the last chapter. The ****_next _****chapter will be the last one. I know the beginning of this was a little weak. I didn't really know what to do with this chapter and I hope it was a good one. The final chapter should either be up tomorrow or Saturday.**


	25. Chapter 25

Nothing was going to be easy, they knew it. Even when Mona was gone and Aria had nothing to worry about anymore, it still was going to be an uphill battle to recovery. Ezra knew it would take time for her to fully heal. He would always be ready to catch her whenever she fell down. When she was thinking no one would be there to soften the blow when she did hit rock bottom.

Aria had seen him a few hours after the news report about Mona aired. She spent a few anxious hours before that though at Spencer's as the three recounted the events leading up to Mona's glorious arrest. Although the girls had to stay calm and stone faced throughout the the entire time she was being cuffed and loaded into the cop car, they had felt overjoyed that finally they were free. Neither of them had any reason to hold back and lie about anything to anyone.

Spencer smiled and she heaved a sigh as she listened to Hanna talk about the whole thing to Aria. Hanna did take most of the story up because of her overwhelming excitement. Emily said the excitement was a cover up for her still bubbling shock and grief she had at the thought of her friend betraying her the way she did, but she kept her mouth closed for the sake of her friends.

"You should have been there, Aria." Hanna concluded, smiling sympathetically at her petite friend. Aria just smiled back with a world of emotions flashing in one look. Honestly she didn't want to take back not going to the arrest. She didn't know what difference it would make. Mona was in jail and that was all that mattered. That she-devil was out of the girls' hair for at least a good five years, if not more.

Aria snuck a quick look at the time on her phone and smiled, it was just a few minutes until six. A slight chirpiness filled her voice as she spoke for the first time since Hanna began to blab on about the events that went on. "Ezra wants me to go over to his place in a few, I should go." She said standing up and sliding her cell into her pocket.

Cheeky smirks grew on all three of the other girls faces at the mention of their friend's older, illegal, but nonetheless very attractive boyfriend.

"Give Fitz a kiss for me." Hanna cooed. The other girls snickered but Aria just shook her head.

"Yeah, not going to happen." She deadpanned, before silently waving a goodbye and sauntering out the door. Aria almost always walked to and from his apartment. She still couldn't legally drive and it felt better, she was always either running or walking no matter what she was doing.

When she arrived at the old brown door with the golden symbols reading 3B, the door was already ajar. Ever since the incident when he was literally abducted from his own home, Aria would have assumed he would keep it locked at all times. She gingerly pushed it open and smiled from ear to ear when she saw what was behind the door.

Ezra had gotten all dressed up and was wearing her favorite tie and pants (he had often caught her staring whenever he wore them). Candles were strategically placed all around the romantically dimmed room and flickered all around like small light bugs. Of course, their usual take out Chinese food was spread out on the coffee table. And there, in all his glory, was Ezra. Who was smiling like a complete goofball in the middle of the room.

"I was hoping you wouldn't be late otherwise I'd be standing here for a while." He chuckled as he walked over and kissed her tiny nose and ushered her to the leather couch where many of their memories were made; good and bad ones.

"What is all of this?" Aria asked as she observed all of the food and watched closely as Ezra poured a clearish, bubbly liquid into two tall glass flutes.

"Well, this." He said, clinking their two glasses once he had have one of them to her. "Is a toast to our freedom. I guess I can and will say that in more ways than one." A grin graced his beautiful, well crafted face.

"What do you mean?" Aria asked again. She swirled the liquid around in the tall glass.

"Let's just say I wasn't grading papers earlier today..." Ezra started, biting his lip mischievously. He looked like he was about to burst from the seams with joy about whatever it was he was so ecstatic about. He was even giggling a bit from his excitement, something she had only seen him do this way in his sleep.

Aria slapped at his thigh with her eyes widened. "Well tell me! What is making you so happy that you set up this whole thing?!"

"I was at an interview for a teaching job at Hollis." He paused again to see her reaction to just that. Aria's eyebrows creased and her mouth dropped open just a bit as she tried to form another question. "And I got it." He jumped up from the couch and ran like a giddy child to his desk and retrieved his cell phone. He then played for her the message from the Dean which informed him of his employment.

"When will you be leaving Rosewood High?" Aria asked when the message came to an end. She was slightly disappointed that he wouldn't be teacher her anymore and they wouldn't be able to tease each other during class, but at least they would be legal. One thing she wouldn't miss would be having to sneak around and keep quiet about their relationship. It would finally be okay for them to go out in public. She didn't have to worry any longer about him being sent to jail. He could finally bring her to a nice dinner or a movie like he had always wished of doing. He always wanted to spoil her as much as possible.

"I'm not exactly sure. Maybe around Wednesday next week." Ezra said, taking a sip of the champagne. "And that's why I brought out my finest china for this wonderful occasion." He joked, waving a paper plate with flowers decorated around the edges in the air.

Aria took a sip of her champagne and giggled as Ezra scooped some vegetable lo-mein from a large container along with some other foods from the various boxes and handed it to Aria. He also fixed his own plate alongside hers. The night was filled with the smell of the Chinese food they had placed around them and the strong cologne that Ezra had sprayed himself with.

After conformation with Ella over the phone, Aria had gotten permission to stay over at Ezra's. Luckily for them, Ezra had already rented It Happened One Night from the library for the very special night that they were having. He remembered very clearly on their unofficial yet official first date when she had said it was her favorite movie.

"I can't believe you remembered." Aria said skeptically as she crossed her arms, still holding the glass of half finished champagne in her hand.

"I have a knack for remembering the little things." Ezra boasted proudly. He pecked a quick kiss into Aria's forehead and walked over to his television and attempted to place the movie disk into the player.

Aria on the other hand, had an idea pop into her head. She walked into his kitchen and opened the fridge, looking for something in particular. When she found what she was searching for, the closed the door to the fridge and faced Ezra. She shook the three quarter full bottle of whiskey she held in her hand in front of her with a large smirk.

"Sure you can handle that, light weight? I've seen you drink the stuff but last time you could barely keep it down." Ezra said, watching as Aria unscrewed the cap and began to tip the nozzle in the direction of her open mouth.

"I'm sure." Aria assured, fully tipping back the bottle and pouring the alcohol down her throat. She had finished about another quarter before Ezra cut her off.

"I bought the scotch." He tapped her nose lightly as he leaned in. "You have to share." He took a large inhale before standing up straight again and drinking a bit for himself. He didn't down as much as Aria so at least one of them wouldn't be too buzzed.

Screwing the cap back on after taking another swig, Ezra lifted Aria onto the bed with him and placed the now half empty bottle of scotch on his nightstand.

Aria molded herself to his side and slid under the blankets with him as he started the movie. Her hands deftly unbuttoned the buttons of his white shirt and pushed it off his body. Her finger traced swirls around his soft chest and he hummed in content.

Aria loved the way his body was. He wasn't extremely muscular with well defined abs and pecs like every girl's hunky dream man; He was just perfect in her eyes. The pads of her fingers brushed around the hairs on his chest and played with his happy trail.

"Aria," Ezra warned as he felt her nimble fingers play with the hairs below his belly button that led to...

Aria relented and laid her hand on his side an her head in the crook of his neck. They stayed in that position for most of the movie. As usual, Aria hogged most of the variously designed pillows Ezra always had on his bed. Making an small almost fortress around herself with them.

A little while later into the movie and Aria spoke up. "Ezra?" She whispered as she adjusted her position in his arms.

"Hm?" He tore his eyes away from the film and peered down at his girlfriend, who he was glad to have contently resting on his chest.

"If you knew things were going to be so insane with us beforehand, would you have even spoken to me that first time?" Ezra didn't know how to answer. Where was this coming from? He hesitated before answering, taking a large intake of breath and pausing.

"I've thought about it. If I had never asked to tutor you or even walked into that bar that night, I don't know where we'd be right now. Probably not here with each other." He spoke. Each word rumbled within his chest a bit, only making her mold her body tighter around him to enjoy the soft vibrations. She didn't say anything in response, only nodding and resuming back to watching the movie.

If there was anything Ezra learned from there many nights together, usually watching old movies, it was that Aria was unable to stay awake through any movie. Whether it be her favorite one or not, towards the end or middle, he always spotted her eyes beginning to droop in exhaustion before collapsing into sleep on his chest. He didn't mind, honestly. He honestly took humor in guessing which part of the movie it would be or how far in it would go before she would start to teeter on the edge of falling to sleep.

It wasn't exactly the part he had guessed at, but close, when he spotted Aria's eyelids start to sag before shooting back open. This went on for a few moments before Ezra began to rub her back in languid circles. He would always do this to calm her down when she awoke from her nightmares and he was trying to lull her back to sleep.

"Go to sleep, Aria. It's okay." He whispered to her while still stroking her back. Aria just sighed and he felt her lean a bit harder against him, probably her giving up and surrendering to her exhaustion.

They didn't know what the future held for them. They really could not prepare for anything that could happen because they had no idea what the outcomes could be. They just had to stay strong, through everything that life decided to chuck at them to try and break their spirit down. They both hoped that the future contained bright things for them; that maybe things would finally work out the way that it was meant to.

It wasn't going to be easy, nothing was or ever will be. The relationship wasn't going to be free of trouble just because of Ezra's new Hollis job. They had plenty of tests and challenges ahead of them that would define their relationship and define them.

_"I asked you a simple question! Do you love her?"_

_"Yes! But don't hold that against me, I'm a little screwy myself!"_

It was one of those rare nights that Aria and Ezra both slept soundly.

**Notice the It Happened One Night quotes I added in? Well, that's all folks! I hoped you enjoyed the ending and the story as a whole. I'd love to thank everyone who continued to review and support me with each chapter I upload. You guys rock! I will be coming out with new stories soon so look out for those. Until next time!**


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